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MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 


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GROSSET   6    DUN  LAP 

P    V    B     L    I     SHE 


COPYBIGHT,   1911,  BT 

W.  J.  WATT  &  COMPANY 


Published  September 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  bride  hammered  the  table  desperately  with  her 
gavel.  In  vain !  The  room  was  in  pandemonium. 

The  lithe  and  curving  form  of  the  girl  —  for  she 
was  only  twenty,  although  already  a  wife  —  was 
tense  now  as  she  stood  there  in  her  own  drawing- 
room,  stoutly  battling  to  bring  order  out  of  chaos. 
Usually  the  creamy  pallor  of  her  cheeks  was  only 
most  daintily  touched  with  rose:  at  this  moment  the 
crimson  of  excitement  burned  fiercely.  Usually  her 
eyes  of  amber  were  soft  and  tender:  now  they  were 
glowing  with  an  indignation  that  was  half-wrath. 

Still  the  bride  beat  a  tattoo  of  outraged  authority 
with  the  gavel,  wholly  without  avail.  The  con- 
fusion that  reigned  in  the  charming  drawing-room 
of  Cicily  Hamilton  did  but  grow  momently  the  more 
confounded.  The  Civitas  Club  was  in  full  operation, 
and  would  brook  no  restraint.  Each  of  the  twelve 

9 

2134454 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

women,  who  were  ranged  in  chairs  facing  the  presid- 
ing officer,  was  talking  loudly  and  swiftly  and  in- 
cessantly. None  paid  the  slightest  heed  to  the  fran- 
tic appeal  of  the  gavel.  .  .  .  Then,  at  last,  the 
harassed  bride  reached  the  limit  of  endurance.  She 
threw  the  gavel  from  her  angrily,  and  cried  out  shrilly 
above  the  massed  clamor  of  the  other  voices: 

"  If  you  don't  stop,"  she  declared  vehemently,  "  I'll 
never  speak  to  one  of  you  again !  " 

That  wail  of  protest  was  not  without  its  effect. 
There  came  a  chorus  of  ejaculations ;  but  the  mono- 
logues had  been  efficiently  interrupted,  and  the  atten- 
tion of  the  garrulous  twelve  was  finally  given  to 
the  presiding  officer.  For  a  moment,  silence  fell.  It 
was  broken  by  Ruth  Howard,  a  girl  with  large,  soul- 
ful brown  eyes  and  a  manner  of  rapt  earnestness,  who 

uttered  her  plaint  in  a  tone  of  exceeding  bitter- 
ness: 

"  And  we  came  together  in  love !  " 

At  that,  Cicily  Hamilton  forgot  her  petulance  over 
the  tumult,  and  smiled  with  the  sweetness  that  was 
characteristic  of  her. 

"  Really,  you  know,"  she  confessed,  almost  con- 
tritely, "  I  don't  like  to  lecture  you  in  my  own  house ; 

10 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

but  we  came  together  for  a  serious  purpose,  and  you 
are  just  as  rude  as  if  you'd  merely  come  to  tea." 

One  of  the  women  in  the  front  row  of  chairs  uttered 
a  crisp  cry  of  approval.  This  was  Mrs.  Flynn,  a 
visiting  militant  suffragette  from  England.  Her  ag- 
gressive manner  and  the  eager  expression  of  her  nar- 
row face  with  the  gleaming  black  eyes  declared  that 
this  woman  of  forty  was  by  nature  a  fighter  who  de- 
lighted in  the  fray. 

"  Yes ;  Mrs.  Hamilton  is  right,"  was  her  caustic 
comment.  "  We  are  forgetting  our  great  work  — 
the  emancipation  of  woman  !  " 

Cecily  beamed  approval  on  the  speaker;  but  she 
inverted  the  other's  phrase : 

"  Yes,"  she  agreed,  "  our  great  work  —  the  sub- 
jugation of  man !  " 

The  statement  was  not,  however,  allowed  to  go  un- 
challenged. Helen  Johnson,  who  was  well  along  in 
the  twenties  at  least,  and  still  a  spinster,  prided  her- 
self on  her  powers  of  conquest,  despite  the  fact  that 
she  had  no  husband  to  show  for  it.  So,  now,  she 
spoke  with  an  air  of  languid  superiority : 

"  Oh,  we've  already  accomplished  the  subjugation 
of  man,"  she  drawled,  and  smiled  complacently. 

11 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Some  of  us  have,"  Cicily  retorted ;  and  the  ac- 
cent on  the  first  word  pointed  the  allusion. 

"  Oh,  hush,  dear ! "  The  chiding  whisper  came 
from  Mrs.  Delancy,  a  gray-haired  woman  of  sixty- 
five,  somewhat  inclined  to  stoutness  and  having  a 
handsome,  kindly  face.  She  was  the  aunt  of  Cicily, 
and  had  reared  the  motherless  girl  in  her  New  York 
home.  Now,  on  a  visit  to  her  niece,  the  bride  of  a 
year,  she  found  herself  inevitably  involved  in  the 
somewhat  turbulent  session  of  the  Civitas  Club,  with 
which  as  yet  she  enjoyed  no  great  amount  of  sym- 
pathy. Her  position  in  the  chair  nearest  the  presid- 
ing officer  gave  her  opportunity  to  voice  the  rebuke 
without  being  overheard  by  anyone  save  the  militant 
Mrs.  Flynn,  who  smiled  covertly. 

Cicily  bent  forward,  and  spoke  softly  to  her  aunt's 
ear: 

"  I  just  had  to  say  it,  auntie,"  she  avowed  happily. 
"  You  know,  she  tried  her  hardest  to  catch  Charles." 

Mrs.  Morton,  a  middle-aged  society  woman,  who 
displayed  sporadic  interest  in  the  cause  of  woman 
during  the  dull  season,  now  rose  from  the  chair  im- 
mediately behind  Mrs.  Flynn,  and  spoke  with  a  tone 
of  great  decisiveness : 

12 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"Yes,  ladies  of  the  Civitas  Club,  Mrs.  Flynn  is 
perfectly  right."  She  indicated  the  identity  of  the 
militant  suffragette,  who  was  a  stranger  to  most  of 
those  in  the  company,  by  a  sweeping  gesture.  "  It 
is  our  duty  to  follow  firmly  on  the  path  which  our 
sister  has  indicated  toward  the  emancipation  of 
woman.  We  should  get  the  club  started  at  once,  and 
the  work  done  immediately.  Lent  will  be  over  soon, 
and  then  there  will  be  no  time  for  it." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  Cicily  agreed  enthusiastically,  as 
Mrs.  Morton  again  subsided  into  her  chair ;  "  let's  get 
the  club  going  right  away."  The  presiding  officer 
hesitated  for  a  moment,  fumbling  among  the  papers 
on  the  table.  "  What's  the  name  —  ?  Oh,  here  it 
is ! "  she  concluded,  lifting  a  sheet  from  the  litter  be- 
fore her.  "  Listen !  It's  the  Civitas  Society  for  the 
Uplift  of  Woman  and  for  Encouraging  the  Spread 
of  Social  Equality  among  the  Masses." 

As  this  gratifyingly  sonorous  designation  was 
enunciated  by  Cicily  in  her  most  impressive  voice, 
the  members  of  the  club  straightened  in  their  places 
with  obvious  pride,  and  there  was  a  burst  of  hand- 
clapping.  Ruth  Howard's  great  eyes  rolled  de- 
lightedly. 

13 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

**  Oh,"  she  gushed,  "  isn't  it  a  darling  duck  of  a 
name !  Let's  see  —  the  Vivitas  Society  for  —  for  — 
what  is  it  for,  anyhow  ?  " 

Cicily  came  to  the  rescue  of  the  forgetful  zealot. 

"  It's  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  men  and  women 
closer  together,"  she  explained  with  dignity. 

Miss  Johnson  gushed  approval  with  her  usual  air 
of  coquettish  superiority. 

"  Oh,  read  it  again,  Cicily,"  she  urged.  "  It's  so 
inspiring! " 

"  Yes,  do  read  it  again,"  a  number  of  enthusiasts 
cried  in  chorus. 

The  presiding  officer  was  on  the  point  of  comply- 
ing with  the  demand  for  a  repetition  of  the  sonorous 
nomenclature : 

"  The  Civitas  Society  for  —  '  she  began,  with 
stately  emphasis.  But  she  broke  off  abruptly,  under 
the  impulse  of  a  change  in  mood.  "  Oh,  what's  the 
use  ?  "  she  questioned  flippantly.  "  You'll  all  get 
copies  of  it  in  full  in  your  mail  to-morrow  morning." 
Mightily  pleased  with  this  labor-saving  expedient, 
Cicily  beamed  on  her  fellow  club-members.  "  What 
next?  "  she  inquired,  amiably. 

Mrs.  Carrington  rose  to  her  feet,  and  addressed 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  assembly  with  that  dignity  befitting  one  deeply 
experienced  in  parliamentary  exercises. 

"  Having  voted  on  the  name,"  she  remarked  pon- 
derously, evidently  undisturbed  by  the  exceedingly 
informal  nature  of  the  voting,  if  such  it  could  be 
called,  "  I  think  it  is  now  time  for  us  to  start  the 
society."  She  stared  condescendingly  through  her 
lorgnette  at  the  duly  impressed  company,  and  sank 
back  into  her  chair. 

There  were  many  exclamations  of  assent  to  Mrs. 
Carrington's  timely  proposal,  and  much  nodding  of 
heads.  Plainly,  the  ladies  were  minded  ta  start  the 
society  forthwith.  Unhappily,  however,  there  re- 
mained an  obstacle  to  the  accomplishment  of  that  de- 
sirable end  —  a  somewhat  general  ignorance  as  to  the 
proper  method  of  procedure.  Ruth  Howard  turned 
the  gaze  of  her  large  brown  eyes  wistfully  on  Mrs. 
Carrington,  and  voiced  the  dilemma  by  a  question : 

"  How  do  we  start?  "  she  asked,  in  a  tone  of  gentle 
wonder. 

Before  Mrs.  Carrington  could  formulate  a  reply 
to  this  pertinent  interrogation,  the  militant  suffra- 
gette from  England  began  an  oration. 

"  The  start  of  a  great  increment  such  as  is  this," 
15 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Mrs.  Flynn  declaimed,  "  is  like  unto  the  start  of  a 
great  race,  or  the  start  of  a  noble  sport ;  it  is  like  — " 

Cicily  was  so  enthusiastic  over  this  explanation  that 
she  interrupted  the  speaker  in  order  to  demonstrate 
the  fact  that  she  understood  the  matter  perfectly. 

"You  mean,"  she  exclaimed  joyously,  "that  you 
blow  a  whistle,  or  shoot  a  pistol ! " 

This  appalling  ignorance  of  parliamentary  tactics 
induced  some  of  the  more  learned  to  ill-concealed  tit- 
ters ;  Miss  Johnson  permitted  herself  to  laugh  in  a 
gurgling  note  that  she  affected.  But  it  was  Mrs. 
Carrington  who  took  it  on  herself  to  utter  a  veiled 
rebuke. 

"  I  fear  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  not  been  a  member  of 
many  clubs,"  she  remarked,  icily. 

At  Miss  Johnson's  open  flouting,  Cicily  had  flushed 
painfully.  Now,  however,  she  was  ready  with  a  re- 
tort to  Mrs.  Carrington's  implied  criticism : 

"  Oh,  on  the  contrary !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Why, 
I  was  chief  rooter  of  the  Pi  Iota  Gammas,  when  I  went 
to  boarding-school  at  Briarcliff." 

Miss  Johnson  spoke  with  dangerous  suavity  of 
manner : 

"  Then,  my  dear,  since  you  were  one  of  the  Pigs  — 
16 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

pardon  my  using  the  English  of  it,  but  I  never  could 
pronounce  those  Greek  letters  — 

"  Of  course  not,"  Cicily  interrupted,  with  her  sweet- 
est smile.  "I  remember,  Helen,  dear:  you  had  no 
chance  to  practise,  not  having  belonged  at  Briar- 
cliff." 

Kindly  Mrs.  Delancy  was  on  nettles  during  the 
passage  of  the  gently  spoken,  but  none  the  less 
acrimonious,  remarks  between  her  niece  and  Miss 
Johnson.  She  was  well  aware  of  Cicily's  deep-seated 
aversion  for  the  coquettish  older  woman,  who  had  not 
scrupled  to  employ  all  her  arts  to  win  away  another's 
lover.  That  she  had  failed  utterly  in  her  efforts  to 
make  an  impression  on  the  heart  of  Charles  Hamilton 
did  not  mitigate  the  offense  in  the  estimation  of  the 
bride.  So  strong  was  Cicily's  feeling,  indeed,  and  so 
impulsive  her  temperament,  that  the  aunt  was  reallj 
alarmed  for  fear  of  an  open  rupture  between  the  two 
young  women,  for  Helen  Johnson  had  a  venomous 
tongue,  and  a  liking  for  its  employment.  So,  now, 
Mrs.  Delancy  hastened  to  break  off  a  conversation 
that  threatened  disaster. 

"  Let  us  select  the  officers,  the  first  thing,"  she  sug- 
gested, rising  for  the  sake  of  effectiveness  in  securing 

17 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

attention  to  herself.  "  It  is,  I  believe,  usual  in  clubs 
to  have  officers,  and,  for  that  reason,  it  seems  to  me 
that  it  would  be  well  to  select  officers  for  this  club, 
here  and  now."  Mrs.  Delancy  reseated  herself,  well 
satisfied  with  her  effort,  for  there  was  a  general  buzz 
of  interest  among  her  auditors. 

Cicily,  with  the  lively  change  of  moods  that  was 
distinctive  of  her,  was  instantly  smiling  again,  but 
now  with  sincerity.  Without  a  moment  of  hesita- 
tion, she  accepted  the  suggestion,  and  acted  upon  it. 
She  turned  toward  Mrs.  Carrington,  and  addressed 
her  words  to  that  dignified  person: 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  she  declared  gladly,  "  I  accept  the 
suggestion.  .  .  .  Won't  you  be  president,  Mrs. 
Carrington?  " 

The  important  lady  was  obviously  delighted  by  this 
suggestion.  She  smiled  radiantly,  and  she  fairly 
preened  herself  so  that  the  spangles  on  her  black 
gown  shone  proudly. 

"  Thank  you,  my  dear  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  she  replied 
tenderly,  with  a  pretense  of  humility  that  failed  com- 
pletely. "  But  I  believe  there  are  certain  formalities 
that  are  ordinarily  observed  —  I  believe  that  it  is  a 
matter  of  selection  by  the  club  as  a  whole.  Of  course, 

18 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

if — "  She  paused  expectantly,  and  regarded  those 
about  her  with  a  smile  that  was  weighted  with  sug- 
gestion. 

Cicily  was  somewhat  perturbed  by  the  error  into 

which  she  had  fallen.     It  occurred  to  her  that  Helen 

« 

Johnson  might  here  find  another  opportunity  for  the 
gratification  of  malice.  A  glance  showed  that  this 
detestable  young  woman  was  in  fact  exchanging  pity- 
ing glances  with  Mrs.  Flynn.  Cicily  was  flushed  with 
chagrin,  as  she  spoke  falteringly,  with  an  apologetic 
inflection : 

"  Oh,  the  president  has  to  be  elected?  I  beg  your 
pardon!  I  thought  it  was  like  the  army,  and  — 
went  by  age." 

At  this  unfortunate  explanation,  the  simper  of 
gratified  vanity  on  Mrs.  Carrington's  features  van- 
ished as  if  by  magic.  She  stiffened  visibly,  as  she 
acridly  ejaculated  a  single  word: 

"  Really !  "     The  inflection  was  scathing. 

Mrs.  Flynn,  who  was  smiling  complacently  over  the 
evident  confusion  of  Cicily,  now  stood  up  to  instruct 
that  unhappy  presiding  officer: 

"  No,  indeed,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  she  announced  with 
great  earnestness,  "  for  the  most  part,  it  is  the  young 

19 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

women,  even  young  wives  no  older  than  yourself 
oftentimes,  who  are  at  the  front,  fighting  gloriously 
the  battle  of  all  women  in  this  great  movement. 
.  .  .  At  least,  that  is  the  way  in  England."  She 
paused  and  bridled  as  she  surveyed  the  attentive  com- 
pany, her  manner  full  of  self-content.  "  There,  I 
may  say,  the  youngest  and  the  most  beautiful  women 
have  been  the  leaders  in  the  fray.  Ahem !  " 

Cicily  did  not  hesitate  to  remove  all  ambiguity 
from  the  utterance  of  the  militant  suffragette  with 
the  sallow,  narrow  face. 

"  And  you  were  a  great  leader,  were  you  not,  Mrs. 
Flynn?  "  she  demanded,  bluntly. 

There  were  covert  smiles  from  the  other  women; 
but  the  Englishwoman  was  frankly  gratified  by  the 
implication.  She  was  smiling  with  pleasure  as  she 
answered : 

"  I  may  say  truthfully  that  I  know  the  inside  of 
almost  every  police-station  in  London." 

At  this  startling  announcement,  uttered  with  every 
appearance  of  pride,  the  suffragette's  hearers  dis- 
played their  amazement  by  exclamations  and  gestures. 
Mrs.  Carrington  especially  made  manifest  the  fact 
that  she  had  scant  patience  with  this  manner  of 

20 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

martyrdom  in   the   cause   of  woman's   emancipation. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Flynn,"  she  said,  with  a  hint  of 
contempt  in  her  voice,  "  here  in  America,  we  do  not 
think  that  getting  into  jail  is  necessarily  a  cause  for 
pride."  There  were  murmurs  of  assent  from  most  of 
the  others;  but  Mrs.  Flynn  herself  was  in  no  wise 
daunted. 

"  Well,  then,  it  should  be,"  she  retorted,  briskly. 
"  Zeal  is  the  watchword !  " 

"  I  think  that  Mrs.  Flynn  should  be  president," 
Miss  Johnson  cried  with  sudden  enthusiasm.  "  She 
has  suffered  in  the  cause !  " 

"  Oh,  for  that  matter,"  interjected  Mrs.  Morton 
flippantly,  "  most  of  us  are  married."  It  was  known 
to  all  those  whom  she  addressed,  save  perhaps  the 
Englishwoman,  that  at  the  age  of  forty  Mrs.  Mor- 
ton had  undergone  two  divorces,  and  that  she  was  now 
living  wretchedly  with  a  third  husband,  so  she  spoke 
with  the  authority  of  one  having  had  sufficient  ex- 
perience. 

But  Mrs.  Flynn  was  too  much  interested  in  her  own 
harrowing  experiences  to  be  diverted  by  cynical  rail- 
lery. 

"  The  last  time  I  went  to  j  ail,"  she  related,  "  I  had 
21 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

chained  myself  to  the  gallery  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, and,  when  they  tried  to  release  me,  I  bit  a  po- 
liceman —  hard ! " 

"  Oh,  you  man-eater ! "  It  was  Cicily  who  ut- 
tered the  exclamation,  half-reproachfully,  half-ban- 
teringly. 

"  I  fail  to  see  why,  if  one  should  prefer  even  Chi- 
cago roast  beef  to  an  Irish  policeman,  that  should  be 
held  against  one."  This  was  Mrs.  Carrington's  in- 
dignant comment  on  the  narrative  of  the  mordant 
martyr. 

The  remark  affected  Mrs.  Flynn,  however,  in  a 
fashion  totally  unexpected.  She  cried  out  in  genuine 
horror  and  disgust  over  the  suggested  idea. 

"  Good  heavens !  Do  you  imagine  I  would  ever 
bite  an  Irish  policeman  ?  " 

"  If  not,"  Mrs.  Carrington  rejoined  slyly,  "  you 
will  have  very  small  opportunity  in  New  York  for  the 
exercise  of  your  very  peculiar  talents." 

Cicily  interposed  a  remark  concerning  the  appe- 
tizing charms  of  some  of  the  mounted  policemen.  It 
seemed  to  her  that  the  conversation  between  the  two 
older  women  had  reached  a  point  where  interruption 
were  the  course  of  prudence.  "  I  think  we  had  better 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

do  some  more  business,  now,"  she  added  hastily,  with 
an  appealing  glance  toward  her  aunt. 

Mrs.  Delancy  rose  to  the  emergency  on  the  in- 
stant. 

"  By  all  means,"  she  urged.  "  Let  us  get  on  with 
the  business.  We  haven't  been  going  ahead  very  fast, 
it  seems  to  me.  Why  not  elect  the  officers  right 
away  ?  " 

Once  again,  the  entire  company  became  agog  with 
interest  over  the  project  of  securing  duly  authorized 
officials.  There  were  murmured  conversations,  con- 
fidential whisperings.  As  Ruth  Howard  earnestly  de- 
clared, it  was  so  exciting  —  a  real  election.  A 
stealthy  canvas  of  candidates  was  in  full  swing.  The 
names  of  Mrs.  Flynn  and  of  Mrs.  Carrington  were 
heard  oftenest.  Incidentally,  certain  sentences  threw 
light  on  individual  methods  of  determining  executive 
merit.  A  prim  spinster  shook  her  head  violently  over 
some  suggestion  from  the  woman  beside  her.  "  No, 
my  dear,"  she  replied  aggressively,  "  I  certainly  shall 
not  vote  for  her  —  vote  for  a  woman  who  wears  a 
transformation?  No,  indeed!"  .  .  .  Cicily  im- 
proved the  interval  of  general  bustle  to  inquire  se- 
cretly of  her  aunt  as  to  the  possible  shininess  of  her 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

nose.  "  It  always  gets  shiny  when  I  get  excited,'* 
she  explained,  ruefully.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there 
was  nothing  whatever  the  matter  with  that  dainty 
feature,  which  had  a  fascination  all  its  own  by  reason 
of  the  fact  that  one  was  forever  wondering  whether 
it  was  classically  straight  or  up-tilted  just  the  least 
infinitesimal  fraction. 

It  was  Mrs.  Morton  who  first  took  energetic  action 
toward  an  election.  She  stood  up,  and  spoke  with  a 
tone  of  finality: 

"  I  think  that  dear  Mrs.  Carrington  would  make  a 
splendid  officer.  I  nominate  dear  Mrs.  Carrington 
for  our  president." 

"  Did  you  hear  that,  Mrs.  Carrington  ?  "  Cicily  in- 
quired, with  a  pleased  smile  for  the  one  thus  hon- 
ored. "  You're  nominated." 

"  Oh,  it's  so  thrilling !  "  RutK  Howard  exclaimed, 
with  irrepressible  enthusiasm. 

But  Miss  Johnson,  to  whom  Ruth  particularly  ad- 
dressed herself,  had  on  occasion  been  unmercifully 
snubbed  by  Mrs.  Carrington.  In  consequence,  now, 
she  showed  no  sign  of  sympathy  with  her  compan- 
ion's emotion.  On  the  contrary,  she  sniffed  indig- 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

nantly,  and  muttered  something  about  "  that 
woman ! " 

Meantime,  Mrs.  Morton  was  waxing  restless  over 
the  fact  that  things  remained  at  a  standstill,  despite 
the  nomination  she  had  made.  She  rose  to  her  feet, 
and  surveyed  the  company  with  a  glance  eloquent  of 
haughty  surprise. 

"  I  am  waiting  for  a  second  to  my  motion,"  she 
remarked,  icily.  Then,  as  there  was  no  audible  re- 
sponse to  this  information,  she  added  with  rising  in- 
dignation :  "  Well,  really !  "  There  was  a  wealth  of 
contemptuous  reproach  in  the  tone. 

The  effect  on  the  susceptible  Cicily  was  instantane- 
ous. With  her  customary  impulsiveness,  and  her 
eagerness  to  do  the  right  thing  for  any  and  all  per- 
sons, she  felt  that  she  herself  had  been  woefully 
remiss  in  not  having  hurried  to  Mrs.  Morton's  sup- 
port at  once.  So,  to  make  amends,  she  spoke  with 
vivacity : 

"  Oh,  I  second  it !  .  .  .  Mrs.  Carrington,"  she 
continued,  turning  to  the  gratified  candidate,  "  you're 
seconded."  She  was  rewarded  for  her  conduct  by  a 
stately  bow  of  thanks  from  Mrs.  Morton.  Half  a 

25 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

dozen  others,  taking  their  cue  from  the  presiding  of- 
ficer, noisily  cried  out  in  seconding  the  candidacy  of 
Mrs.  Carrington,  whereat  Mrs.  Morton  grew  flushed 
with  pleasure,  and  was  moved  to  consummate  the  af- 
fair without  a  moment's  delay. 

"  I  move  that  the  election  of  Mrs.  Carrington  as 
president  be  now  made,  and  also  that  the  election  be 
made  unanimous,"  she  demanded,  with  much  unction 
in  her  voice.  She  smiled  persuasively  on  the  presid- 
ing officer  as  she  concluded :  "  Won't  you  put  that 
motion,  my  dear?  " 

Cicily  rose  to  the  occasion  with  an  access  of  be- 
coming dignity. 

"  It  is  moved  and  seconded,"  she  announced  loudly, 
"  that  Mrs.  Carrington  be  elected  president  of  this 
club.  All  in  favor  of  this  motion  — " 

"  One  moment,  please,"  Miss  Johnson  interrupted, 
excitedly.  "  Madam  Chairman,  I  move  that  Mrs. 
Flynn,  the  great,  the  tried,  the  proven,  the  trusted 
crusader  in  the  cause  of  woman,  from  England,  be 
elected  president,  and  that  her  election  be  made  unan- 
imous." She  paused  to  turn  to  Ruth,  whom  she  ad- 
dressed in  a  fierce  whisper :  "  If  you  don't  second  me, 
I'll  never  speak  to  you  again." 

26 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Oh,  I  second  you,"  Ruth  cried,  anxiously.  "  Of 
course,  I  second  you." 

But,  by  this  time,  Cicily  had  come  to  a  realization 
of  the  fact  that  the  other  women  present  were  every 
whit  as  ignorant  of  parliamentary  law  as  was  she 
herself.  So,  in  this  emergency,  she  did  not  scruple 
to  make  audacious  retort.  She  answered  with  ex- 
ceeding blandness: 

"  But,  you  see,  Miss  Johnson,  there's  already  a 
motion  before  the  house." 

Thereupon,  Mrs.  Morton  hastened  valiantly  to  her 
own  support. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  she  declared,  haughtily ;  "  my  mo- 
tion was  first.  I  must  insist  that  it  be  voted  upon. 
If  Miss  Johnson  wished  to  have  an  imported  English 
president  for  our  American  society,  she  should  have 
nominated  Mrs.  Flynn  first."  She  made  direct  ap- 
peal to  the  presiding  officer.  "  Am  I  not  right, 
dear?" 

Cicily  beamed  on  Mrs.  Morton,  and  was  about  to 
reply,  when  a  sudden  thought  came  to  her  that  did 
greater  credit  to  her  ingenuity  than  to  her  executive 
knowledge.  Forthwith,  she  beamed,  somewhat  hypo- 
critically, on  Miss  Johnson  in  turn. 

27 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Yes,  certainly,"  she  affirmed ;  "  I'm  sure  you're 
both  quite  right." 

"  Thank  you,  Madam  Chairman,  for  agreeing  with 
me,"  Miss  Johnson  replied,  placated  by  Cicily's  un- 
expected amiability  toward  her.  "  My  motion  also  is 
before  the  house,  and  I  insist  that  it  be  voted  on. 
Mrs.  Flynn  has  been  seconded." 

There  was  a  spirit  of  hostility  in  the  manner  with 
which  Miss  Johnson  and  Mrs.  Morton  faced  each 
other  that  boded  ill  for  peace.  The  rival  candidates 
sat  in  rigid  erectness,  disdainfully  aloof  while  their 
supporters  wrangled.  The  whisperings  of  the  others 
suggested  a  growing  acrimoniousness  of  debate.  That 
earnest  maiden,  Ruth,  was  alarmed  by  the  tension  of 
strife. 

"  I  think  I'd  rather  go,"  she  faltered.     "  I'm  afraid  , 
you're  going  to  quarrel,  Helen." 

But  the  resources  of  Cicily's  inspiration  were  by 
no  means  ended.  She  waved  a  conciliatory  hand  to- 
ward the  adversaries,  and  spoke  with  an  air  of  finality 
that  produced  an  instantaneous  effect  as  of  oil  on 
troubled  waters. 

"  I'll  tell  you :  I'll  put  one  motion,  and  the  other 
can  be  an  amendment."  At  this  profound  sugges- 

28 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

tion,  the  whole  company  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief. 
Only  Ruth  appeared  somewhat  puzzled. 

"  What's  an  amendment?  "  she  questioned  frankly, 
while  the  others  regarded  her  with  evident  scorn  for 
such  ignorance. 

"  An  amendment,  Ruth,"  the  presiding  officer  ex- 
plained patiently,  is  —  is  —  oh,  just  listen,  and  don't 
interrupt  the  proceedings,  and  you'll  know  all  about 
it  in  a  few  minutes."  She  beamed  once  again,  first 
on  Mrs.  Morton  and  then  on  Miss  Johnson.  "  Which 
of  you  would  rather  be  the  amendment?"  she  in- 
quired. 

Mrs.  Morton,  as  became  her  years,  was  first  to  make 
reply. 

"  It's  entirely  immaterial  to  me,  just  so  my  motion 
is  put." 

Miss  Johnson  adopted  a  manner  that  was  not  with- 
out signs  of  heroic'  self-sacrifice. 

"  I'll  be  the  amendment,"  were  her  words.  With 
that,  she  bowed  very  formally  to  Mrs.  Morton,  who 
returned  the  salute  with  a  fine  dignity,  after  which  the 
two  at  last  subsided  into  their  chairs. 

Cicily  was  elated  with  the  subtle  manner  in  which 
she  had  evolved  order  out  of  chaos.  Her  eyes  glowed 

29 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

with  pride,  and  the  flush  in  her  cheeks  deepened. 
There  was  an  added  music  in  her  voice,  as  she  once 
more  addressed  the  company. 

"Splendid!"  she  ejaculated.  "Now,  all  in  favor 
of  Mrs.  Motion's  morton  —  I  mean  Mrs.  Morton's 
motion,  please  say  ay !  " 

In  a  clear,  ringing  voice  she  led  the  chorus  in  the 
affirmative.  Yes,  every  woman  present,  including  the 
presiding  officer,  voted  an  enthusiastic  ay,  whereupon 
Cicily  declared  the  motion  carried ;  and  Mrs.  Morton 
rose  and  said :  "  Thank  you,  ladies."  Next,  Mrs. 
Carrington  stood  up,  placed  a  hand  on  her  heart,  and 
expressed  her  appreciation  of  the  honor  done  her: 
"  I  deeply  thank  you,  ladies."  The  incident  was  fit- 
tingly concluded  by  an  outburst  of  applause  in  which 
all  the  club  joined,  although  Ruth  beat  her  palms  in 
rather  a  bewildered  manner.  .  .  .  Cicily  immedi- 
ately entered  on  the  new  phase  of 'the  situation. 

"  Now,  all  in  favor  of  Miss  Johnson's  amendment, 
please  say  ay,"  she  directed.  Again,  she  led  the 
chorus  in  the  affirmative,  and  the  entire  company 
joined  in  the  vote  without  a  dissenting  voice. 
"  Amendment  carried,"  the  presiding  officer  an- 
nounced, gleefully.  It  was  now  the  turn  of  Miss 

30 


Johnson  to  rise  and  offer  her  thanks,  and  Mrs.  Flynn 
followed,  saying,  very  neatly :  "  From  over  the  sea, 
I  thank  you."  The  usual  applause  was  of  the  hearti- 
est. .  .  .  But  Cicily  was  still  energetic. 

"  Now,  all  in  favor  of  the  motion  and  of  the 
amendment,  please  say  ay,"  she  requested.  For  the 
third  time,  she  led  the  chorus,  and  the  vote  was  un- 
opposedly  affirmative.  "  The  motion  and  the  amend- 
ment are  carried  unanimously,"  Cicily  announced,  and 
the  hand  clapping  sounded  a  happy  content  on  the 
part  of  the  Civitas  Club. 

Afterward,  came  a  little  intermission  of  conversa- 
tion in  which  was  expressed  much  appreciation  of  the 
efficiency  of  the  club  in  carrying  on  its  session.  "  It 
all  goes  to  show  how  businesslike  women  can  be,"  Mrs. 
Carrington  remarked,  triumphantly.  Mrs.  Flynn 
was  even  more  emphatic.  "  I've  never  seen  a  meet- 
ing more  gloriously  typical  of  our  great  cause."  The 
tribute  was  welcomed  with  a  buzz  of  assent. 
But,  finally,  there  came  a  lull  in  the  talking.  It  was 
broken  by  Mrs.  Delancy,  who  spoke  thoughtlessly 
out  of  a  confused  mind,  with  no  suspicion  as  to  the 
sinister  effect  to  be  wrought  by  her  words : 

"  Who's  elected?  "  was  her  simple  question. 
31 


There  was  a  moment  of  amazed  silence,  in  which, 
the  members  of  the  club  stared  at  one  another  with 
widened  eyes.  It  was  broken  very  speedily,  however, 
by  Mrs.  Carrington,  who  rose  to  her  feet  with  more 
activity  of  movement  than  was  customary  to  her  dig- 
nified bearing. 

"  I  have  the  honor,"  she  stated,  sharply. 

Instantly,  Mrs.  Flynn,  the  militant  suffragette,  was 
up,  her  face  belligerent. 

"  Pardon  me,  but  the  honor  belongs  to  me,"  she 
snapped,  regarding  the  first  claimant  with  a  fierce  in- 
dignation that  was  returned  in  kind.  Most  of  the 
others  were  too  confounded  for  speech,  but  Mrs.  Mor- 
ton rose  to  support  her  candidate's  claims. 

"  Pray  pardon  me,"  she  began  placatingly,  "  but 
probably  Mrs.  Flynn  does  not  understand.  The  in- 
terpretation of  parliamentary  law  in  England  may 
be  quite  different.  Probably,  it  is.  The  customs 
of  that  country  vary  widely  from  ours  in  many  re- 
spects. So,  they  probably  do  in  the  matter  of  elec- 
tions in  clubs.  Now,  I  belong  to  ten  clubs  —  Amer- 
ican clubs  —  and  I  assure  you  that,  according  to  the 
parliamentary  law  in  every  one  of  those  ten  club», 
Mrs.  Carrington  is  certainly  elected." 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

This  advocacy  was,  naturally,  a  challenge  to  Miss 
Johnson,  who  promptly  rose  up  to  champion  her  own 
candidate. 

"  Mrs.  Carrington,  I  am  sure,  has  no  desire  to  take 
advantage  of  a  distinguished  stranger  within  our 
gates  —  and  one  who  has  served  as  gloriously  in  the 
cause  as  Mrs.  Flynn  —  but,  even  if  someone — "  she 
regarded  Mrs.  Morton  with  great  significance  — "  I 
say,  even  if  someone  should  wish  to  take  unfair  ad- 
vantage of  a  technicality,  it  would  be  altogether  im- 
possible, for  my  amendment  to  the  original  motion 
was  carried  —  unanimously !  Mrs.  Flynn  is  the 
president  of  the  club,  duly  elected." 

Some  hazy  notion  of  parliamentary  procedure 
moved  Mrs.  Flynn  to  a  suggestion. 

"  J  think  the  matter  might  best  be  settled  by  the 
chair,"  she  said,  doubtfully.  "  The  chair  put  the 
motion.  Let  us  then  leave  the  decision  to  Madam 
Chairman."  Mrs.  Carrington  nodded  a  stately  agree- 
ment to  the  proposal,  and  the  company  as  a  whole 
appeared  vastly  relieved,  with  the  exceptions  of  Miss 
Johnson,  who  sniffed  defiantly,  and  of  Ruth,  who  ap- 
peared more  than  ever  bewildered  by  the  succession 
of  events. 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Now,  at  last,  Cicily  felt  herself  baffled  by  the  crisis 
of  her  own  making.  She  looked  from  one  to  another 
with  reproach  in  her  amber  eyes. 

"  But  —  but  you  cannot  expect  me  to  decide  be- 
tween my  guests,"  she  espostulated.  There  was  ap- 
peal for  relief  in  the  pathetic  droop  of  the  scarlet 
lips  of  the  bride,  but  it  was  of  no  avail.  The  com- 
pany asserted  with  vehemence  that  she  must  render 
the  decision  in  this  unfortunate  dilemma. 
And,  again,  the  angel  of  inspiration  whispered  a  so- 
lution of  the  difficulty.  Impulsive  as  ever,  a  radiant 
smile  curved  her  mouth,  and  her  eyes  shone  happily. 

"  Very  well,"  she  yielded.  "  Since  you  insist  on 
putting  your  hostess  in  such  an  unfortunate  position, 
I  decide  that  it  is  up  to  the  ladies  themselves.  Which 
one  wishes  to  take  the  office,  to  force  herself  forward 
against  the  wishes  of  the  other?  "  She  cast  a  seem- 
ingly guileless  glance  of  inquiry  first  on  Mrs.  Car- 
rington,  then  on  Mrs.  Flynn,  who  simultaneously  ut- 
tered exclamations  of  indignation  at  the  imputation 
thus  laid  upon  them. 

Mrs.  Carrington  was  quick  to  make  explicit  an- 
swer. 

"  If  the  ladies  of  the  club  do  not  desire  me  to  be 
34 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

president,  I  must  decline  to  accept  the  office,  in  spite 
of  a  unanimous  vote.  If,  however — "  She  broke 
off  to  stare  accusingly  at  her  rival,  then  about 
the  room  in  search  of  encouragement  for  her 
claims. 

Mrs.  Flynn  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  for 
speech  in  her  own  behalf. 

"  Naturally,  as  a  stranger,  I  hesitate  to  force  my- 
self forward,  even  though  my  record  is  such  that  it  is 
hard  to  see  how  any  opposition  could  possibly  develop 
against  me.  However  — " 

"  Of  course,  Mrs.  Carrington  is  elected,"  Mrs.  Mor- 
ton interrupted. 

At  the  same  time,  Miss  Johnson  urged  aggressive- 
ness on  her  candidate. 

"  Don't  back  down,"  she  implored.  "  Remember 
the  policeman !  " 

Mrs.  Carrmgton  muttered  maliciously,  as  she 
caught  the  words. 

"  In  view  of  Mrs.  Flynn's  record,"  she  began,  "  I 
scarcely  feel  justified  -  Her  mock  humility  was 
copied  by  Mrs.  Flynn  on  the  instant. 

"  As  a  stranger,  I  cannot  force  myself  — " 

The  presiding  officer  decided  that  this  was  in  truth 
35 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  psychological  moment  in  which  to  dominate  the 
situation. 

"  Indeed,  the  chair  appreciates  the  rare  quality  of 
your  self-denial,"  she  announced  in  an  authoritative 
voice  that  commanded  the  respectful  attention  of  alL 
"  Now,  ladies,"  she  continued  with  an  air  of  grave 
rebuke,  "  you  see  what  comes  of  putting  your  hostess 
in  such  an  unfortunate  position  as  compelling  her  to 
force  on  one  of  her  guests  something  she  doesn't  want. 
Mrs.  Carrington  and  Mrs.  Flynn,  both,  are  my  friends 
and  my  guests  as  well,  and  I  must  certainly  decline 
to  embarrass  them  further  in  this  matter.  The  only 
thing  I  can  do,  since  neither  of  them  is  willing  to  take 
the  presidency,  is  regretfully  to  accept  it  myself.  So, 
I  will  be  president,  and  I  do  now  so  declare  my- 
self." 

At  this  astounding  decision,  Mrs.  Carrington  and 
Mrs.  Flynn  sank  down  in  their  chairs,  too  dum- 
founded  to  protest;  but  their  distress,  along  with 
the  similar  emotion  of  Mrs.  Morton  and  Miss  John- 
son, was  not  observed  by  the  others  in  the  general 
hubbub  of  enthusiasm  aroused  by  the  new  Solomon 
come  to  judgment.  After  an  interval  of  tumultuous 
cheering,  there  came  demand  for  a  speech  by  the 

36 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

newly     elected    president.     .     .     .     Cicily     acceded, 
after  due  urging. 

"  I'm  ever  so  much  obliged  to  you,"  she  declared, 
and  kissed  her  hands  gracefully  to  her  fellow  club- 
members.  Thereat,  the  applause  was  of  the  briskest. 
"  Really,  I  am,"  she  made  assurance,  and  wafted  an- 
other kiss.  On  this  occasion,  the  applause  was  of 
even  greater  volume  than  ever  before,  although  four 
of  those  present  did  not  join  in  the  ovation  to  the  new 
chief  executive.  "  Yes,  really  —  truly !  "  Cicily  went 
on,  fluently.  "  And  I  think  this  is  a  wonderful  club 
we  have  started.  We  need  a  club.  It  gives  us  —  us 
married  women  —  something  to  do.  That's  the  real 
answer  —  the  real  cause,  I  think,  of  the  woman  ques- 
tion. These  men  have  gone  on  inventing  vacuum 
cleaners  and  gas-stoves  and  apartment  hotels  and 
servants  that  know  more  than  we  do.  They  haven't 
treated  us  fairly.  They've  taken  away  all  our  occu- 
pation, and  now  we've  got  to  retaliate.  We  can't 
keep  house  for  them  any  more,  and,  if  we  —  if  we 
care  anything  about  them,  or  want  to  help  them, 
we've  got  to  go  into  business,  or  to  help  them  vote. 
...  .  Well,  they"  brought  it  on  themselves. 
They've  got  toa  proud.  They  used  to  be  dependent 

37 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

on  us :  now,  we're  dependent  on  them,  on  their  inven- 
tions and  their  servants.  So,  we're  going  to  show 
them.  We'll  make  them  dependent  on  us  in  the  wider 
outside  world,  just  as  they  used  to  be  dependent  on 
us  in  the  home.  They've  hurt  our  pride,  and  we're 
going  to  make  them  pay.  They  say  we  are  nervous 
and  reckless  and  always  on  the  go.  .  .  .  It's 
their  fault:  they've  made  the  new  woman,  and  now 
we  are  going  to  make  the  new  man.  They  put  us  out 
of  work,  and  made  us  so,  and  now  they're  going  to 
be  sorry.  .  .  .  The  time  is  fast  coming  when 
each  of  us  will  have  at  least  three  or  four  men  — " 

It  was  Miss  Johnson  who  caused  the  interruption 
to  this  burst  of  eloquence. 

"  Why,  that's  positively  immoral !  "  gasped  the  out- 
raged spinster. 

" — at  least  three  or  four  men  dependent  upon 
her,"  concluded  the  unabashed  president  of  the  Civ- 
itas  Club,  as  she  cast  a  withering  look  on  her  enemy, 
who  quailed  visibly.  "  And  I  think  that's  all," 
Cicily  added,  contentedly.  She  felt  that  she  could 
with  justice  claim  to  have  conducted  herself  nobly 
throughout  a  critical  situation. 

38 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  I  move  that  we  adjourn,"  said  Mrs.  Flynn,  ener- 
getically. Her  vigorous  temperament  would  permit 
no  longer  sulking  in  silence  despite  the  humiliation  to 
which  she  had  so  recently  been  subjected. 

Mrs.  Carrington,  however,  had  not  yet  rejected  all 
hope  of  office. 

"  We  must  first  select  a  secretary,"  she  suggested. 

This  was  opposed  by  Miss  Johnson,  always  per- 
sistently moved  to  discredit  the  older  woman  who  had 
snubbed  her  socially. 

"  Why  not  select  a  professional  stenographer  as  a 
member  of  the  club;  then  make  her  secretary?  Any 
number  of  young  working  women  would  doubtless  be 
glad  of  the  honor."  This  brought  an  outcry  against 
the  admission  of  any  professional  working  woman 
into  the  exclusive  Civitas. 

"  Oh,  remember  that  we  have  ideals ! "  Ruth  How- 
ard remonstrated,  with  sincere,  if  vague,  adherence  to 
her  ideals ;  and  she  up-turned  her  great  eyes  toward 
the  ceiling. 

Mrs.  Flynn,  curiously  enough,  was  opposed  to  the 
idealist  in  this  instance. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  I  fear  that  it's  quite  true.  The 
39 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

professional  working  woman  thinks  more  of  her  sal- 
ary and  a  comfortable  living  than  of  our  great  cause." 

Cicily  herself  disposed  of  the  matter  with  a  blithe- 
some nonchalance  that  was  beautiful  to  behold. 

"  Oh,  don't  bother,"  was  her  way  of  cutting  the 
Gordian  knot.  "  I'll  make  my  husband's  stenogra- 
pher do  the  work." 

"  I  move  that  we  adjourn,"  the  militant  suffragette 
repeated  in  a  most  businesslike  manner. 

Mrs.  Carrington  was  determined  that  her  rival 
should  not  outdistance  her  at  the  finish.  She  spoke 
with  her  most  forcible  dignity: 

"  I  second  the  motion." 

The  motion  was  put  and  carried.  .  .  .  Thus 
ended  the  first  session  of  that  epoch-marking  organi- 
zation :  The  Civitas  Society  for  the  Uplift  of  Woman 
and  for  Encouraging  the  Spread  of  Social  Equality 
among  the  Masses. 


40 


CHAPTER  II 

CICIL.Y  HAMILTON,  bride  of  a  year,  was  seemingly 
as  fortunate  a  young  woman  as  the  city  of  New  York 
could  offer  to  an  envious  world.  Her  house  in  the 
East  Sixties,  just  off  the  Avenue,  was  a  charming 
home,  dainty,  luxurious,  in  the  best  of  taste,  with  a 
certain  individuality  in  its  arrangement  and  orna- 
mentation that  spoke  agreeably  of  the  personality  of 
its  mistress.  Her  husband,  Charles  Hamilton,  was 
a  handsome  man  of  twenty-six,  who  adored  his  wife, 
although  recently,  in  the  months  since  the  waning  of 
the  honeymoon,  he  had  been  so  absorbed  in  business 
cares  that  he  had  rather  neglected  those  acts  of  ten- 
derness so  vital  to  a  woman's  happiness.  Some  diffi- 
culties that  disturbed  him  downtown  rendered  him 
often  preoccupied  when  at  home,  and  the  effect  on 
his  wife  was  unwholesome.  Little  by  little,  the  girl- 
woman  felt  a  certain  discontent  growing  within  her, 
indeterminate  in  a  great  measure,  but  none  the  less 
forceful  in  its  influence  on  her  moods  day  by  day. 

The  statements  that  Cicily  had  made  in  her  in- 
41 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

augural  speech  to  the  Civitas  Society  exhibited,  albeit 
crudely,  some  of  the  facts  breeding  revolt  in  her.  In 
very  truth,  she  found  herself  without  sufficient  occu- 
pation to  hold  her  thoughts  from  fanciful  flights  that 
led  to  no  satisfactory  result  in  action.  An  excellent 
housekeeper,  who  was  far  wiser  in  matters  of  menage 
than  she  could  ever  be,  held  admirable  sway  over  the 
domestic  machinery.  The  servants,  thus  directed, 
were  as  those  untroubling  inventions  of  which  she  had 
complained.  Since  she  was  not  devoted  to  the  dis- 
traction of  social  gaieties,  Cicily  found  an  appalling 
amount  of  unemployed  time  on  her  hands.  She  was 
blest  with  an  excellent  education ;  but,  with  no  great 
fondness  for  knowledge  as  such,  she  was  not  inclined 
to  prosecute  any  particular  study  with  the  ardor  of 
the  scholar.  To  rid  herself  of  the  boredom  induced 
by  this  state  of  affairs,  the  young  wife  decided  that 
she  must  develop  a  new  interest  in  her  fellow  crea- 
tures. She  went  farther,  and  resolved  to  establish 
herself  on  a  basis  of  equality  with  her  husband,  not 
merely  in  love,  but  in  the  sterner  world  of  business. 
Thus,  she  was  brought  to  entertain  a  convincing  be- 
lief in  equality  for  the  sexes,  in  society  and  in  the 
home. 

4ft 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

She  revealed  something  of  her  mind  and  heart  to 
her  aunt  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  following  the 
singular  session  of  the  Civitas  Society.  The  two 
women  were  together  in  Cicily's  boudoir,  a  delightful 
room,  all  paneled  in  rose  silk,  with  furniture  Louis 
Quatorze,  and  Dresden  ornaments.  ...  It  was 
an  hour  yet  before  time  for  the  dressing-bell.  Cicily, 
in  a  negligee  of  white  silk  that  fitted  well  with  the 
color  scheme  of  the  room  and  that  only  emphasized 
the  purity  of  her  ivory  skin,  suddenly  sat  up  erect  in 
the  chair  where  she  had  been  nestling  in  curving  aban- 
donment. 

"  Why,  Aunt  Emma,"  she  exclaimed,  with  a  new 
sparkle  in  the  amber  eyes,  "  we  forgot  to  set  any  date 
for  another  meeting  of  the  club?  " 

But  Mrs.  Delancy  did  not  seem  impressed  by  the 
oversight. 

"  Do  you  think  it  makes  any  real  difference,  dear?  " 
she  questioned,  placidly. 

At  this  taunt,  Cicily  assumed  an  air  of  reproach 
that  was  hardly  calculated  to  deceive  the  astute 
old  lady,  who  had  known  the  girl  for  twenty 
years. 

"  Don't  you  take  our  club  seriously  ?  "  she  ques- 
43 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

tioned  in  her  turn.     Her  musical  voice  was  touchingly 
plaintive. 

"  Oh,  it's  serious  enough,"  was  the  retort.  "  It's 
either  seriously  pitiful,  or  pitifully  serious,  whichever 
way  you  choose  to  look  at  it." 

Cicily  abandoned  her  disguise  of  concern,  and 
laughed  heartily  before  she  spoke  again. 

"  I  must  admit  that  I  think  it's  a  joke,  myself," 
she  admitted ;  "  more's  the  pity."  There  was  a  note 
of  genuine  regret  in  her  voice  now.  Then,  she  smiled 
again,  with  much  zest.  "  But  it  was  so  amusing  — 
stirring  them  up,  and  then  calmly  taking  the  presi- 
dency myself,  because  none  of  them  knew  just  how  to 
stop  me ! " 

"  It  was  barefaced  robbery !  "  Mrs.  Delancy  ex- 
claimed reprovingly,  although  she,  too,  was  compelled 
to  smile  at  the  audacity  of  the  achievement.  "  But," 
she  added  meditatively,  "  I  really  don't  see  what  it  all 
amounts  to,  anyhow  ?  " 

"  I  suspect  that  you  didn't  listen  attentively  to  the 
president's  speech,"  Cicily  railed. 

"  I  listened,"  Mrs.  Delancy  declared,  firmly.  "  In 
spite  of  that  fact,  my  dear,  what  does  it  all  mean? 

44 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Down  deep,  are  you  serious  in  some  things  I  have 
heard  you  say,  lately?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I'm  serious  enough,"  was  the  answer, 
spoken  with  a  hint  of  bitterness  in  the  tone.  "  That 
is,  I'm  seriously  bored  —  desperately  bored,  for  the 
matter  of  that.  I  tell  you,  Aunt  Emma,  a  married 
woman  must  have  something  to  do.  As  for  me,  why, 
I  have  absolutely  nothing  to  do.  Those  other 
women,  too,  or  at  least  most  of  them,  have  nothing 
to  do,  and  they  are  all  desperately  bored.  Well, 
that's  the  cause  of  the  new  club.  Unfortunately,  the 
club,  too,  has  nothing  to  do  —  nothing  at  all  —  and 
so,  the  club,  too,  is  desperately  bored.  .  .  .  Oh, 
if  only  I  could  give  that  club  an  ob j  ect  —  a  real  ob- 
ject!" 

Mrs.  Delancy  murmured  some  remonstrance  over 
the  new  enthusiasm  that  sounded  in  her  niece's  voice 
while  uttering  the  aspiration  in  behalf  of  the  Civitas 
Society ;  but  the  bride  paid  no  heed. 

"  Yes,"  she  mused,  straightening  the  arches  of  her 
brows  in  a  frown  of  perplexity,  "  it  could  be  made 
something,  with  an  object.  I  myself  could  be  made 
something,  with  an  obj  ect  —  something  worth  while 

4,5 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  strive  for.  .  .  .  Heavens,  how  I  wish  I  had 
something  to  do !  " 

This  iconoclastic  fashion  of  speech  was  not  pa- 
tiently endured  by  the  orthodox  aunt,  who  listened  to 
the  plaint  with  marked  displeasure. 

"  A  bride  with  a  young  husband  and  a  beautiful 
home,"  she  remarked  tartly,  "  seeking  something  to 
do!  In  my  day,  a  bride  was  about  the  busiest  and 
the  happiest  person  in  the  community."  Her  voice 
took  on  a  tone  of  tender  reminiscence,  and  a  little 
color  crept  into  the  wrinkled  pallor  of  her  cheeks,  and 
she  perked  her  head  a  bit  coquettishly,  in  a  youthful 
manner  not  unbecoming,  as  she  continued :  "  I  re- 
member how  happy  —  oh,  how  happy !  —  I  was 
then!" 

Cicily,  however,  displayed  a  rather  shocking  lack 
of  sympathy  for  this  emotion  on  ffle  part  of  her  rela- 
tive. She  was,  in  fact,  selfishly  absorbed  in  her  own 
concerns,  after  the  manner  of  human  nature,  whether 
young  or  old. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  almost  spitefully,  "  I  have  no- 
ticed how  always  old  married  ladies  continually  re- 
member the  happy  time  when  they  were  brides.  A 
bride's  happy  time  is  as  much  advertised  as  a  suc- 

46 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

cessf ul  soap.  .  .  .  But  I  —  I  —  well,  I'm  not  a 
bride  any  longer  —  that's  all.  I've  been  married  a 
whole  year  1 " 

"  A  whole  year ! "  Mrs.  Delancy  spoke  the  word 
with  the  fine  scorn  of  one  who  was  looking  forward 
complacently  to  the  celebration  of  a  golden  wedding 
anniversary  in  the  near  future. 

Cicily^  however,  was  impervious  to  the  sarcasm 
of  the  repetition. 

"  Yes,"  she  repeated  gloomily,  "  a  whole  year. 
Think  of  it.  ...  And  all  the  women  in  my  family 
live  to  be  seventy.  Mamma  would  have  been  alive 
if  she  hadn't  been  drowned.  A  good  many  live  to 
be  eighty.  Why,  you're  not  seventy  yet.  Poor 
dear!  You  may  have  ten  or  a  dozen  more  years 
of  it!" 

Mrs.  Delancy  was  actually  horrified  by  her  niece's 
commiseration. 

"  Cicily,"  she  chided,  "  you  must  not  speak  in  that 
manner.  I've  been  happily  married.  You — " 

The  afflicted  bride  was  not  to  be  turned  aside  from 
her  woe. 

"  I'm  perfectly  wretched,"  she  announced,  fiercely. 
"  Auntie,  Charles  is  a  bigamist !  " 

47 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"Good  Lord!"  Mrs.  Delancy  ejaculated  with 
pious  fervor,  and  sank  back  limply  in  her  chair,  too 
much  overcome  for  further  utterance.  Then,  in 
a  flash  of  memory,  she  beheld  again  the  facts  as 
she  had  known  them  as  to  her  niece's  courtship  and 
marriage.  The  girl  and  Charles  Hamilton  had  been 
sweethearts  as  children.  The  boy  had  developed 
into  the  man  without  ever  apparently  wavering  in 
his  one  allegiance.  Cicily,  too,  had  had  eyes  for  no 
other  suitor,  even  when  many  flocked  about  her, 
drawn  by  the  fascination  of  her  vivacious  beauty  and 
the  lithe  graces  of  her  form  and  the  varied  bril- 
liance of  her  moods.  It  was  because  of  the  stead- 
fastness of  the  two  lovers  in  their  devotion  that  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Delancy  had  permitted  themselves  to  be 
persuaded  into  granting  consent  for  an  early  mar- 
riage. It  had  seemed  to  them  that  the  constancy  of 
the  pair  was  sufficiently  established.  They  believed 
that  here  was  indeed  material  for  the  making  of  an 
ideal  union.  Their  belief  seemed  justified  by  the 
facts  in  the  outcome,  for  bride  and  groom  showed 
all  the  evidences  of  rapturous  happiness  in  their 
union.  It  had  only  been  revealed  during  this  pres- 
ent visit  to  the  household  by  the  aunt  that,  some- 

48 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

how,  things  were  not  as  they  should  be  between  these 
two  erstwhile  so  fond.  .  .  .  And  now,  at  last,  the 
truth  was  revealed  in  all  its  revolting  nudity.  Mrs. 
Delancy  recalled,  with  new  understanding  of  its 
fatal  significance,  the  aloof  manner  recently  worn 
by  the  young  husband  in  his  home.  So,  this  was 
the  ghastly  explanation  of  the  change:  The  man 
was  a  bigamist!  The  distraught  woman  had  hardly 
ears  for  the  words  her  niece  was  speaking. 

"  Yes,"  Cicily  said,  after  a  long,  mournful  pause, 
"  besides  me,  Charles  has  married  — "  She  paused, 
one  foot  in  a  dainty  satin  slipper  beating  angrily  on 
the  white  fur  of  the  rug. 

"What  woman?"  Mrs.  Delancy  demanded,  with 
wrathful  curiosity. 

"  Oh,  a  factory  full  of  them !  '*  The  young  wife 
spoke  the  accusation  with  a  world  of  bitterness  in 
her  voice. 

"  Good  gracious,  what  an  extraordinary  man ! " 
Mrs.  Delancy,  under  the  stimulus  of  this  outrageous 
guilt  again  sat  erect  in  her  chair.  Once  more,  the 
flush  showed  daintily  in  the  withered  cheeks;  but, 
now,  there  was  no  hint  of  tenderness  in  the  rose  — 
it  was  the  red  of  anger.  ft  I  know  how  you  must 

49 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

feel,  dear,"  she  said,  gently.  "  I  was  jealous  once, 
of  one  woman.  But  to  be  jealous  of  a  factory  full 
—  oh,  Lord!" 

"  Yes,"  Cicily  declared,  in  tremulous  tones,  "  all 
of  them,  and  the  men  besides !  " 

Mrs.  Delancy  bounced  from  her  seat,  then  slowly 
subsided  into  the  depths  of  the  easy  chair,  whence 
she  fairly  gaped  at  her  former  ward.  When,  finally, 
she  spoke,  it  was  slowly,  with  full  conviction. 

"  Cicily,  you're  crazy !  " 

"  No,"  the  girl  protested,  sadly ;  "  only  heart- 
broken. I  am  so  miserable  that  I  wish  I  were  dead !  " 

"  But,  my  dear,"  Mrs.  Delancy  argued,  "  it  can't 
be  that  you  are  quite  —  er  —  sensible,  you  know." 

"  Of  course,  I'm  not  sensible,"  Cicily  admitted, 
petulantly.  "  I  said  I  was  jealous,  didn't  I?  Nat- 
urally, I  can't  be  sensible." 

"  But  Charles  can't  be  married  to  the  men,  too !  " 
Mrs.  Delancy  asserted,  wonderingly. 

At  that,  Cicily  flared  in  a  burst  of  genuine  anger. 

"  Yes,  he  is,  too,"  she  stormed ;  "  and  to  the 
women,  too  —  to  the  buildings,  to  the  machinery, 
to  the  nasty  ground,  to  the  fire-escapes  —  to  every 
single  thing  about  that  horrid  business  of  his !  Oh, 

50 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

I  hate  it!  I  hate  it!  I  hate  every  one  of  them! 
.  .  .  And  he  is  a  bigamist,  I  tell  you  —  yes,  a 
bigamist!  He's  married  to  me  and  to  his  business, 
too,  and  he  cares  more  for  his  business ! " 

"  Humph ! "  The  exclamation  came  from  Mrs. 
Delancy  with  much  energy.  It  was  surcharged  with 
relief,  for  the  tragedy  was  made  clear  to  her  at  last. 
Surely,  there  was  room  for  trouble  in  the  situation, 
but  nothing  like  that  over  which  she  had  shuddered 
during  the  period  of  her  misapprehension.  In  the 
first  minute  of  relief,  she  felt  aroused  to  indignation 
against  her  niece  who  had  so  needlessly  shocked  her. 
"  I  do  wish,  Cicily,"  she  remonstrated,  "  that  you 
would  endeavor  to  curb  your  impetuosity.  It  leads 
you  into  such  absurdities  of  speech  and  of  action. 
Your  extravagant  way  of  opening  this  subject 
caused  me  utterly  to  mistake  your  meaning,  and  set 
me  all  a-tremble  —  for  a  tempest  in  a  teapot." 

"  I  think  I'll  get  a  divorce,"  Cicily  declared,  de- 
fiantly. The  bride  was  not  in  an  apologetic  mood, 
inasmuch  as  she  regarded  herself  as  the  one  unde- 
servedly suffering  under  great  wrongs. 

"  Perhaps ! "  Mrs.  Delancy  retorted,  sarcastic- 
ally. Her  usual  good  humor  was  returning,  after 

51 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  first  reaction  from  the  stress  she  had  undergone 
by  reason  of  the  young  wife's  fantastic  mode  of 
speech.  "  I  suppose  you  will  name  Charles's  business 
as  the  co-respondent." 

"  It  takes  more  out  of  him  than  any  woman  could," 
was  the  spirited  retort.  "  Of  course,  I  shall.  Why 
not?" 

Mrs.  Delancy,  now  thoroughly  amused,  explained 
to  her  niece  some  details  concerning  the  grounds  re- 
quired by  the  statutes  in  the  state  of  New  York  for 
the  granting  of  absolute  divorce,  of  which  hitherto  the 
carefully  nurtured  girl  had  been  in  total  ignorance. 
Cicily  was  at  first  astounded,  and  then  dismayed. 
But,  in  the  end,  she  regained  her  poise,  and  re- 
verted with  earnestness  to  the  need  of  reform  in  the 
courts  where  such  gross  injustice  could  be.  She 
surmised  even  that  in  this  field  she  might  find  ulti- 
mately some  outlet  of  a  satisfactory  sort  for  her 
wasted  energies. 

"  Why,  I  and  my  club,  and  other  clubs  like  it," 
she  concluded,  "  find  the  cause  of  our  being  in  such 
things  as  this.  We  women  haven't  any  occupation, 
and  we  haven't  any  husbands,  essentially  speaking 
—  and  we're  determined  to  have  both." 

52 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

The  bold  declaration  was  offensive  to  the  old  lady's 
sense  of  propriety. 

"  You  can't  interfere  with  your  husband's  busi- 
ness, Cicily,"  she  said  by  way  of  rebuke,  somewhat 
stiffly. 

The  young  wife,  however,  was  emancipated  from 
such  admonitions.  She  did  not  hesitate  to  express 
her  dissent  boldly. 

"  Yes,"  she  exclaimed  indignantly,  "  that's  the 
idea  that  you  old  married  women  have  been  putting 
up  with,  without  ever  whimpering.  Why,  you've 
even  been  preaching  it  yourselves  —  preaching  it 
until  you've  spoilt  the  men  utterly.  So,  now,  thanks 
to  your  namby-pamby  knuckling  under  always,  it's 
business  first,  last,  and  all  the  time  —  and  marriage 
just  nowhere.  I  tell  you,  it's  all  wrong.  .  .  . 
I  know  you're  older,"  she  went  on  vehemently,  as 
Mrs.  Delancy's  lips  parted.  "  I  guess  that's  why 
you're  wrong.  .  .  .  Anyhow,  it  isn't  as  it  was  in- 
tended. For  the  matter  of  that,  which  was  first,  mar- 
riage or  business?  Did  Adam  have  a  business  when 
he  married?  Huh!  There!  No  man  could  an- 
swer that ! "  Cicily  paused  in  triumph,  and,  in  the 
elation  wrought  by  developing  a  successful  argu- 

53 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ment,  turned  luminous  eyes  on  her  aunt,  while  her 
red  lips  bent  into  the  daintiest  of  smiles. 

Mrs.  Delancj  was  not  to  be  beguiled  from  the 
fixed  habits  of  thoughts  carried  through  scores  of 
years  by  the  winsome  blandishments  of  her  whilom 
ward.  She  had  no  answering  gentleness  for  the 
gladness  in  the  girl's  face.  When  she  spoke,  it  was 
with  an  emphasis  of  acute  disapproval: 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  are  going  to  make  your 
husband  choose  between  you  and  his  business, 
Cicily?" 

Something  in  the  tone  disturbed  the  young  wife's 
serenity.  The  direct  question  itself  was  sufficient 
to  destroy  the  momentary  equanimity  evolved  out  of 
a  mental  achievement  such  as  the  argument  from 
Adam.  She  realized,  on  the  instant,  that  her  desire 
must  be  defeated  by  the  facts  of  life. 

"  No,"  she  admitted,  after  a  brief  period  of 
hesitancy,  "  of  course  not.  Charles  chooses  business 
first  —  any  man  would." 

The  inexorable  question  followed : 

"  Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  "  Then,  as 
no  answer  came :  "  I  beg  of  you,  Cicily,  not  to  be 
rash.  Don't  do  anything  that  will  cause  you  re- 

54 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

gret  after  you  have  come  into  a  calmer  mood.  Of 
course,  once  on  a  time,  marriage  was  first  with  men, 
and  I  think  that  it  should  be  first  now  —  I  know  that 
it  should.  But  it  is  the  truth  that  business  has  now 
come  to  be  first  in  the  lives  of  our  American  men. 
And,  my  dear,  you  can't  overcome  conditions  all 
by  yourself.  At  heart,  Charles  loves  you,  Cicily. 
I'm  sure  of  that,  even  though  he  does  seem  wrapt  up 
in  his  business  affairs.  Yet,  he  loves  you,  just  the 
same.  That's  the  one  thing  we  older  women  learn  to 
cling  to,  to  solace  ourselves  with:  that,  deep  down 
in  their  hearts,  our  husbands  do  love  us,  no  matter 
how  indifferent  they  may  seem.  When  a  woman 
once  loses  faith  in  that,  why,  she  just  can't  go  on, 
that's  all.  Oh,  I  beg  you,  Cicily,  don't  ever  lose 
that  faith.  It  means  shipwreck !  " 

The  young  wife  shook  her  head  slowly  —  doubt- 
fully ;  then  quickly  —  determinedly. 

"  No,  I  won't  put  up  with  just  that,"  she  asserted, 
morosely.  "  I  want  more.  I'll  have  more,  or  — " 
She  checked  herself  abruptly,  and  once  again  the 
arch  of  her  dark  brows  was  straightened,  as  she 
mused  somberly  over  her  future  course. 

There  fell  an  interval  of  silence,  in  which  the  two 
55 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

reflected  on  the  mysteries  that  lie  between  man  and 
woman  in  the  way  of  love.  It  was  broken  finally 
by  Mrs.  Delancy,  who  spoke  meditatively,  hardly 
conscious  that  the  words  were  uttered  aloud. 

"  Of  course,  you're  not  really  dependent  on 
Charles.  Your  own  fortune  — " 

The  girl's  interruption  came  in  a  passionate  out- 
burst that  filled  her  hearer  with  distress  and  sur- 
prise. It  would  seem  that  Cicily  had  been  thinking 
very  tenderly,  yet  very  unhappily,  of  those  mysteries 
of  love. 

"  But  I  am  dependent  on  him  —  dependent  on  him 
for  every  ray  of  sunshine  in  my  heart,  for  every 
breath  of  happiness  in  my  life ;  while  he  — "  her 
voice  broke  suddenly ;  it  came  muffled  as  she  continued 
quaveringly  — "  while  he  —  he's  not  dependent  on 
me  at  all !  "  After  a  little  interval,  she  went  on, 
more  firmly,  but  with  the  voice  of  despair.  "  That's 
the  pity  of  it.  That's  what  makes  us  women 
nowadays  turn  to  something  else  —  to  some 
other  man,  or  to  some  work,  some  fad,  some  hobby, 
some  folly,  some  madness  —  anything  to  fill  the  void 
in  our  hearts  that  our  husbands  forget  to  fill, 
because  their  whole  attention  is  concentrated 

56 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

on  business.  .  .  .  But  I'm  not  going  to  be  that 
way,  I  give  you  warning.  I'm  going  to  make  my 
husband  fill  all  my  heart,  and,  too,  I'm  going  to  make 
him  dependent  on  me.  I'll  make  him  know  that  he 
can't  do  without  me !  " 

"Nonsense!"  Mrs.  Delancy  objected,  incredu- 
lously. "  Why,  as  to  that,  Charles  is  dependent  on 
you  now.  You  haven't  really  lost  his  love  —  not  a 
bit  of  it,  my  dear !  " 

There  was  infinite  sadness  in  the  young  wife's 
gesture  of  negation. 

"  Aunt  Emma,"  she  said  earnestly,  "  Charles  and  I 
haven't    had    an    evening    together    in    weeks.     We 
haven't    had    a    real    old    talk    in    months. 
Why,  I  —  I  doubt  if  he  even  remembers  what  day 
this  is ! " 

"  You  mean  —  ?  " 

"  Our  first  anniversary !  Long  ago,  we  planned  to 
celebrate  the  day  —  just  the  theater  and  a  little 
supper  after  —  only  us  two.  ...  I  wonder  if 
he  will  remember."  The  tremulous  voice  gave  evi- 
dence that  the  tears  were  very  near. 

"  Oh,  of  course,  he  will,"  Mrs.  Delancy  declared 
briskly,  with  a  manner  of  cheerful  certainty.  Never- 

57 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

theless,  out  of  the  years  of  experience  in  the  world 
of  married  folk,  a  great  doubt  lurked  in  her 
heart. 

Cicily's  head  with  the  coronal  of  dark  brown  hair, 
usually  poised  so  proudly,  now  drooped  dejectedly; 
there  was  no  hopefulness  in  her  tones  as  she  replied: 

"  I  don't  know  —  I  am  afraid.  Why,  since  the 
tobacco  trust  bought  out  that  Carrington  box 
factory  two  months  ago,  and  began  fighting  Charles, 
he  talks  tobacco  boxes  in  his  sleep." 

"  Don't  take  it  so  seriously,"  the  aunt  argued. 
"  All  men  are  that  way.  My  dear,  your  Uncle  Jim 
mumbles  woolens  —  even  during  Dog  Days.  No, 
you  mustn't  take  things  so  seriously,  Cicily.  You 
are  not  the  only  wife  who  has  to  suffer  in  this  way. 
You  are  not  the  only  one  who  was  ever  lonesome. 
Your  case  isn't  unusual  —  more  pity!  It's  the  case 
of  almost  every  wife  whose  husband  wins  in  this 
frightful  battle  with  business.  Years  ago,  dear,  I 
suffered  as  you  are  suffering.  Your  uncle  never  told 
me  anything.  I've  never  known  anything  at  all 
about  more  than  half  of  his  life.  He  rebuffed  me 
the  few  times  at  first,  when  I  tried  to  share  those 
things  with  him.  He  said  that  a  woman  had  no  place 

58 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

in  a  man's  business  affairs.  So,  after  a  little,  I 
stopped  trying.  For  a  time,  I  was  lonesome  —  very 
lonesome  —  oh,  so  lonesome !  .  .  .  And,  then,  I 
began  to  make  a  life  for  myself  outside  the  home  — 
as  he  had  already  by  his  business.  I  tried  in  my 
humble  way  to  do  something  for  others.  That's 
the  best  way  to  down  a  heartache,  my  dear  —  try 
making  someone  else  happy." 

The  words  arrested  Cicily's  heed.  As  their  mean- 
ing seeped  into  her  consciousness,  the  expression  of 
her  face  changed  little  by  little.  "  Making  people 
happy ! "  She  repeated  the  phrase  as  she  had 
formulated  the  idea  again,  very  softly,  with  a  per- 
sistence that  would  have  surprised  Mrs.  Delancy, 
could  she  have  caught  the  inaudible  murmur.  Pres- 
ently, the  faint  rose  in  the  pallor  of  her  cheeks  blos- 
somed to  a  deeper  red,  and  the  amber  eyes  grew  radi- 
ant, as  she  lifted  the  long,  curving  lashes,  and  fixed 
her  gaze  on  her  aunt.  There  was  a  new  animation  in 
her  voice  as  she  spoke;  there  was  a  new  determina- 
tion in  the  resolute  set  of  the  scarlet  lips. 

"  Why,  that's  something  to  do !  "  she  exclaimed, 
joyously.  "  It's  something  to  do,  really,  after  all 
—  isn't  it?" 

59 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Yes,"  her  aunt  agreed,  sedately ;  "  something  big 
to  do.  For  my  part,  I  joined  church  circles,  and 
worked  first  for  the  heathen." 

"Oh,  bother  the  heathen!"  Cicily  ejaculated, 
rudely.  "  Charles  is  heathen  enough  for  me ! " 
With  her  characteristic  impulsiveness,  she  sprang  to 
her  feet,  as  Mrs.  Delancy  quietly  rose  to  go,  ran  to 
her  aunt,  and  embraced  that  astonished  woman  with 
great  fervor. 

*'  I  honestly  believe  that  you've  given  me  the  idea 
I  was  looking  for,"  she  declared  enthusiastically. 
"You  darling!  .  .  .  Making  people  happy! 
It  would  be  something  for  the  club,  too.  .  .  . 
Yes,"  she  concluded  decisively,  "  I'll  do  it !  " 

"Do  what?"  Mrs.  Delancy  questioned,  bewil- 
dered by  the  swift  succession  of  moods  in  the  girl 
she  loved,  yet  could  never  quite  understand. 

"  You  just  wait,  Aunt  Emma,"  was  the  baffling  an- 
swer. 

Mrs.  Delancy  turned  at  the  door,  and  spoke 
grimly: 

"  My  dear  Cicily,"  she  said,  "  you're  getting  to 
be  quite  as  reticent  as  your  uncle  and  Charles." 

60 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

But  the  girl  disdained  any  retort  to  the  gibe. 
Instead,  she  was  saying  softly,  over  and  over: 
"  Making  other  people  happy !  Making  other  peo- 
ple happy ! " 


61 


CHAPTER     HI 

CICILY  HAMILTON  was  inclined  to  be  captious  witH 
her  maid  as  she  dressed  that  evening.  She  was  finical 
to  the  point  of  absurdity  even,  which  is  often  the 
fault  of  beauty,  and  perhaps  a  fault  not  altogether 
unbecoming,  since  its  aim  is  the  last  elaboration  of 
loveliness.  Indeed,  the  fault  becomes  a  virtue,  when 
its  motive  lies  in  the  desire  to  attain  supreme  charm 
for  the  one  beloved.  It  was  so  with  the  young  wife 
to-night.  She  was  filled  with  anxious  longing  to  dis- 
play her  beauty  in  its  full  measure  for  the  pleasuring 
of  the  man  to  whom  she  had  given  her  whole  heart. 
For  that  fond  purpose,  she  was  curt  with  her  maid, 
and  reproachful  with  herself.  She  was  deeply 
troubled  by  the  thought  that  a  darker  shade  to  her 
brows  might  enhance  the  brilliance  of  her  eyes.  She 
hesitated  before,  but  finally  resisted,  a  temptation 
to  use  a  touch  of  pencil  to  gain  the  effect.  She  was 
exceedingly  querulous  over  the  coiling  of  her  tresses 
into  the  crown  that  added  so  regally  to  the  dignity 
of  her  bearing.  The  selection  of  the  gown  was  a  mat- 

62 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ter  for  profound  deliberation,  and  ended  in  a  mood 
of  dubiety.  That  passed,  however,  when  at  last  she 
surveyed  her  length  in  the  cheval  glass.  Then,  she 
became  aware,  beyond  peradventure  of  doubt,  that 
the  white  lacery  of  silk,  molded  to  her  slender  form 
and  interwoven  with  heavy  threads  of  gold,  was 
supremely  becoming.  The  gleam  of  precious  metal 
in  the  fabric  seemed  to  transmute  the  amber  of  her 
eyes  into  a  glory  of  gold.  The  pearls  of  her  neck- 
lace harmonized  with  the  warm  pallor  of  her  com- 
plexion. 

Despite  the  pains  taken,  there  remained  time  to 
spare  before  the  dinner  hour,  when  the  toilette  had 
been  thus  happily  completed.  As  she  was  about  to 
dismiss  the  maid,  Cicily  bethought  her  to  ask  a  ques- 
tion. 

"  Has  Mr.  Hamilton  come  in  yet,  Albine  ?  " 

"  Yes,  madam  —  a  half -hour  ago.  He  went  to  the 
study,  with  his  secretary." 

Left  alone,  Cicily  mused  on  the  maid's  information, 
and  bitterness  again  swept  over  her.  During  the 
period  of  dressing,  she  had  been  so  absorbed  in  the 
attempt  to  make  the  most  of  her  charms  that,  for  the 
time  being,  she  had  forgotten  her  apprehensions  as 

63 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  her  husband's  neglect.  Now,  however,  those  ap- 
prehensions were  recalled,  and  they  became  more 
poignant.  Only  a  stern  regard  for  the  appearance 
she  must  present  anon  held  her  back  from  tears.  It 
seemed  to  her  longing  a  dreadful  thing  that  on  this 
day  of  all  others  her  husband  must  bring  back  to 
his  home  this  rival  of  whom  she  was  so  jealous. 
For  it  could  mean  nothing  else,  if  he  were  closeted 
with  his  secretary  at  this  hour:  he  was  dallying  in 
the  embraces  of  business,  with  never  a  thought  for 
the  wife  whom  he  had  sworn  to  love  always.  For 
all  that  she  was  beautiful,  possessed  of  ample  fortune, 
married  to  the  man  of  her  choice  and,  by  reason  of  her 
youth,  full  of  the  joy  of  life,  Cicily  Hamilton  was 
a  very  wretched  woman,  as  she  strolled  slowly  down 
the  broad,  winding  stair,  and  entered  the  drawing- 
room,  where  already  Mrs.  Delancy  was  waiting. 

That  good  lady,  in  her  turn,  had  found  herself 
sorely  perturbed.  The  mood  of  revolt  in  which  her 
niece  was,  caused  a  measure  of  alarm  in  the  bosom 
of  the  loving  older  woman.  Her  own  course  at  this 
moment  was  not  clear  to  her.  She  had  been  aware  that 
to-day  was  the  first  anniversary  of  the  marriage  of 
the  Hamiltons,  and  it  was  on  this  account  that  she  had 

64 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

prolonged  her  visit.  Yet,  she  had  meant  to  go  away 
in  time  to  permit  the  young  pair  their  particular  fete 
in  a  solitude  a  deux.  She,  too,  however,  had  learned 
of  the  present  absorption  of  Mr.  Hamilton  in  busi- 
ness affairs,  and  thereat  she  became  suspicious  that 
her  niece's  fears  as  to  his  forgetfulness  might  be 
realized.  In  the  end,  she  had  determined  to  remain 
until  immediately  before  the  dinner  hour,  leaving  the 
going  or  staying  to  be  ruled  by  the  facts  as  they  de- 
veloped. Arrived  at  this  decision,  she  had  telephoned 
to  her  own  home  as  to  the  uncertainty  in  regard  to 
her  movements,  and  thereafter  had  awaited  the  issue 
of  events  with  that  simple  placidity  which  is  the  boon 
sometimes  granted  by  much  experience  of  the  world. 
Hardly  a  moment  after  the  meeting  of  the  two 
women  in  the  drawing-room,  the  master  of  the  house 
entered  hurriedly,  bearing  in  his  hand  a  sheaf  of 
papers.  Charles  Hamilton  was  a  large,  dark  man, 
remarkably  good-looking  in  a  boyish,  clean-shaven, 
typically  American,  businesslike  fashion.  Still  short 
of  the  thirties,  he  had  nevertheless  formed  those  habits 
of  urgent  industry  that  characterize  the  successful 
in  the  metropolis.  Already,  he  had  become  enslaved 
by  the  business  man's  worst  habit  —  that  most  dan- 

65 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

gerous  to  domestic  happiness  —  the  taking  of  mutual 
love  between  him  and  his  wife  as  something  conceded 
once  for  all,  not  requiring  exhibition  or  culture  or 
protection  or  nourishment  of  any  sort.  In  this  mis- 
take he  was  perhaps  less  blamable  than  are  some,  in- 
asmuch as  he  was  fettered  by  a  great  ignorance  of 
feminine  nature.  From  earliest  boyhood,  he  had  been 
Cicily's  abject  worshiper.  That  devotion  had  held 
him  aloof  from  other  women.  In  consequence,  he 
had  missed  the  variety  of  experiences  through  which 
many  men  pass,  from  which,  perforce,  they  garner 
stores  of  wisdom,  to  be  used  for  good  or  ill  as  may  be. 
Hamilton,  unfortunately,  knew  nothing  concerning 
woman's  foibles.  He  had  no  least  suspicion  as  to  her 
constant  craving  for  the  expression  of  affection,  her 
heart-hunger  for  the  murmured  words  of  endearment, 
her  poignant  yearning  for  gentle,  tender  caresses 
day  by  day.  They  loved;  they  were  safely  married: 
those  blessed  facts  to  him  were  sufficient.  There  was 
no  need  to  talk  about  it.  In  fact,  in  his  estimation, 
there  was  not  time.  There  was  business  to  be  man- 
aged —  no  dillydallying  in  this  day  and  generation, 
unless  one  would  join  the  down-and-out  club!  Such 
was  the  point  of  view  from  which  this  bridegroom  of 

66 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

a  year  surveyed  his  domestic  life.  It  was  a  point 
of  view  established  almost  of  necessity  from  the  en- 
vironment in  which  he  found  himself  established.  He 
was  in  no  wise  unique:  he  was  typical  of  his  class. 
He  was  clean  and  wholesome,  industrious,  energetic, 
clever  —  but  he  knew  nothing  of  woman.  .  .  . 
So,  now,  he  immediately  rushed  up  to  Mrs.  Delancy, 
without  so  much  as  a  glance  toward  the  wife  who 
had  studied  long  and  anxiously  to  make  the  delight 
of  his  eyes. 

"  Hello,  Aunt  Emma !  "  he  exclaimed  gaily,  and 
kissed  her.  "  I  am  glad  you  stayed  over  to  cheer 
up  the  little  girl,  while  husband  was  away  grubbing 
the  money  for  her." 

"  Oh,  do  you  think,  then,  that  she  needs  cheer- 
ing? "  There  was  a  world  of  significance  in  the 
manner  with  which  the  old  lady  put  the  pertinent 
question;  but  the  absorbed  business  man  was  deaf  to 
the  implication. 

Cicily,  however,  spared  him  the  pains  of  any  dis- 
claimer by  uttering  one  for  herself. 

"  Need  cheering !  —  I !     What  an   absurd  idea !  " 

Hamilton  smiled  gladly  as  he  heard  his  wife  speak 
thus  bravely  in  assurance  of  her  entire  contentment. 

67 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  he  turned  toward  her.  But  it 
was  plain  that  he  failed  to  note  her  appearance  with 
any  degree  of  particularity.  He  had  no  phrase  of  ap- 
preciation for  the  exquisite  woman  in  the  exquisite 
gown.  He  spoke  with  a  certain  tone  of  fondness; 
yet  it  was  the  fondness  of  habit. 

"  That's  right,"  he  said  heartily,  as  he  crossed  the 
room  to  her  side,  and  bestowed  a  perfunctory  marital 
peck  on  the  oval  cheek.  "  I'm  mighty  glad  you 
haven't  been  lonesome,  sweetheart." 

"  You  were  thinking  that  I  might  be  lonesome  ?  " 
There  was  a  note  of  wistfulness  in  the  musical  voice 
as  she  asked  the  question.  The  glow  in  the  golden 
eyes  uplifted  to  his  held  a  shy  hint  of  hope. 

Manlike,  he  failed  to  understand  the  subtle  ap- 
peal. 

"  Of  course,  I  didn't,"  he  replied.  "  If  I  thought 
about  it  at  all  —  which  I  greatly  doubt,  we've  been 
so  rushed  at  the  office  —  I  probably  thought  how  glad 
you  must  be  not  having  a  man  under  foot  around  the 
house  when  your  friends  called  for  gossip.  Oh,  I 
understand  the  sex ;  I  know  how  you  women  sit  about 
and  talk  scandal." 

An  indignant  humph!  from  Mrs.  Delancy  was 
68 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ignored  by  Hamilton,  but  he  could  not  escape  feeling 
a  suggestion  of  sarcasm  in  his  wife's  deliberately 
uttered  comment: 

"  Yes,  Charles,  you  do  know  an  awful  lot  about 
women ! " 

"  I  knew  enough  to  get  you,"  he  riposted,  neatly. 
Then,  he  had  an  inspiration  that  he  believed  to  be 
his  duty  as  a  host :  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  rudeness 
in  a  husband  toward  his  wife  on  the  first  anniversary 
of  their  marriage.  He  turned  suavely  to  Mrs. 
Delancy.  "  You'll  stay  to  dinner,  of  course,  Aunt 
Emma."  And  he  added,  fatuously :  "  You  and 
Cicily  can  chat  together  afterward,  you1  know. 
.  .  .  I've  a  horrible  pile  of  work  to  get  through 
to-night." 

At  her  husband's  unconscious  betrayal  of  her  dear- 
est hopes,  Cicily  started  as  if  she  had  been  struck. 
As  he  ceased  speaking,  she  nerved  herself  to  the 
ordeal,  and  made  her  statement  with  an  air  as  casual 
as  she  could  muster,  while  secretly  a-quiver  with 
anxiety. 

"  Why,  Charles,  we  are  going  to  the  theater  to- 
night, you  know." 

"  To-night  ?  "  Hamilton  spoke  the  single  word 
69 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

with  an  air  of  blank  astonishment.  It  needed  no 
more  to  make  clear  the  fact  that  he  had  no  guess  as 
to  the  importance  of  this  especial  day  in  the  calendar 
of  their  wedded  lives. 

Cicily's  spirits  sank  to  the  lowest  deeps  of  dis- 
couragement before  this  confession  of  her  husband's 
inadvertence  to  that  which  she  regarded  as  of  vital 
import  in  the  scheme  of  happiness. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  dully,  "  to-night.  I  have  the 
the  tickets.  Don't  you  remember  what  day  this  is?  " 
She  strove  to  make  her  tone  one  of  the  most  casual  in- 
quiry, but  the  attempt  was  miserably  futile  before  the 
urge  of  her  emotion. 

"  Why,  to-day  is  Thursday,  of  course,"  Hamilton 
declared,  with  an  ingenuous  nonchalance  that  was 
maddening  to  the  distraught  wife. 

"  Yes,  it  is  Thursday,"  she  rej  oined ;  and  now  there 
was  no  mistaking  the  bitter  feeling  that  welled  in 
the  words.  "  It  is  the  anniversary  of  our  wedding 
day." 

Hamilton  caught  his  unhappy  bride  in  his  arms. 
He  was  all  contrition  in  this  first  moment  when  his 
delinquency  was  brought  home  to  consciousness.  He 
kissed  her  tenderly  on  the  brow. 

70 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  By  Jove,  I'm  awfully  sorry,  dear."  There  was 
genuine  regret  for  such  culpable  carelessness  in  his 
voice.  "  How  ever  did  I  forget  it  ?  "  He  drew  her 
closer  in  his  embrace  for  a  brief  caress.  Then,  after 
a  little,  his  natural  buoyancy  reasserted  itself,  and 
he  spoke  with  a  mischievousness  that  would,  he  hoped, 
serve  to  stimulate  the  neglected  bride  toward  cheer- 
fulness. "  I  say,"  he  demanded,  "  did  you  remember 
it  all  by  yourself,  sweetheart,  or  did  Aunt  Emma  re- 
mind you?  I  know  she's  a  great  sharp  on  all  the 
family  dates."  i--,.!*™*" 

The  badinage  seemed  in  the  worst  possible  taste 
to  the  watching  Mrs.  Delancy,  but  she  forbore  com- 
ment, although  she  saw  her  niece  wince  visibly. 
Cicily's  pride,  however,  came  to  her  rescue,  and  she 
contrived  to  restrain  herself  from  any  revelation  of 
her  hurt  that  could  make  itself  perceptible  to  Hamil- 
ton, who  now  released  her  from  his  arms. 

"  Oh,"  she  said  with  an  assumption  of  lightness, 
"  Aunt  Emma  told  me,  of  course.  How  in  the  world 
could  you  suppose  that  I,  in  my  busy  life,  could 
possibly  remember  a  little  thing  like  the  anniversary 
of  our  wedding?  " 

"  No,  naturally  you  wouldn't,"  the  husband 
71 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

agreed,  in  all  seriousness.  "  Gad !  If  you  hadn't 
been  so  engrossed  with  that  wonderful  club  and  all 
your  busy  society  doings,  you  probably  would  have 
remembered,  and  then  you  would  have  told  me." 

The  young  wife  perceived  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  arouse  him  to  any  just  realization  of  the 
flagrancy  of  his  fault.  Yet,  she  dared  venture  a  for- 
lorn hope  that  all  was  not  yet  lost. 

"  Well,  anyhow,  Charles,"  she  said,  very  gently, 
"  I  have  got  the  tickets,  and  it  is  our  anniversary." 

"  Even  if  I  had  remembered  about  it,"  was  the  an- 
swer, spoken  with  a  quickly  assumed  air  of  abstrac- 
tion, as  business  returned  to  his  thoughts,  "  I  couldn't 
have  gone  to-night.  You  see,  I  have  a  conference 
on  —  very  important.  It  means  a  great  deal. 
Morton  and  Carrington  are  coming  around  to  see 
me.  ...  I  can't  bother  you  with  details,  but 
you  know  it  must  be  important.  I  can't  get  out  of 
it,  anyhow." 

"  But,  Charles  — "  The  voice  was  very  tender, 
very  persuasive.  It  moved  Hamilton  to  contrition. 
The  pleading  accents  could  never  have  been  resisted 
by  any  lover ;  but  by  a  husband  —  ah,  there  is  a  tre- 
mendous difference,  as  most  wives  learn.  Hamilton 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

merely  elaborated  his  defense  against  yielding  to  his 
wife's  wishes. 

"  I  tell  you,  Cicily,  it's  a  matter  of  business  — 
business  of  the  biggest  importance  to  me.  You're 
my  wife,  dear:  you  don't  want  to  interfere  with  my 
business,  do  you?  Why,  I'll  leave  it  to  Aunt  Emma 
here,  if  I'm  not  right."  He  faced  about  toward  Mrs. 
Delancy,  with  an  air  of  triumphant  appeal.  "  Come, 
Aunt  Emma,  what  would  you  and  Uncle  Jim  do  in 
such  a  case  ?  " 

"  I  think  Cicily  already  knows  the  answer  to  that 
question,"  was  the  neutral  reply,  with  which  Hamilton 
was  wholly  satisfied. 

Now,  indeed,  the  girl  abandoned  her  last  faint 
hope.  The  magnitude  of  the  failure  shook  her  to 
the  deeps  of  her  being.  She  felt  her  muscles  relax, 
even  as  her  spirit  seemed  to  grow  limp  within  her. 
SKe  was  in  an  agony  of  fear  lest  she  collapse  there 
under  the  eyes  of  the  man  who  had  so  spurned  her 
adoration.  Under  the  spur  of  that  fear,  she  moved 
forward  a  little  way  toward  the  window,  the  while 
Hamilton  chatted  on  amiably  with  Mrs.  Delancy, 
continuing  to  justify  the  position  he  had  taken.  As 
he  paused  finally,  Cicily  had  regained  sufficient  self- 

73 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

control  to  speak  in  a  voice  that  told  him  nothing  be- 
yond the  bare  significance  of  the  words  themselves. 

"  Oh,  of  course,  you're  right,  Charles.  Don't 
bother  any  more  about  it.  Attend  to  your  confer- 
ence, and  be  happy.  There  will  be  plenty  more  aH- 
miversaries ! " 


CHAPTER  IV 

t 
THE    preliminary    conference    with    Morton    and 

Carrington,  which  had  so  fatally  interfered  with 
Cicily's  anniversary  plans,  proved  totally  unsatis- 
factory from  the  standpoint  of  Charles  Hamilton. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  crisis  had  arisen  in  his  busi- 
ness affairs.  He  was  threatened  with  disaster,  and 
as  yet  he  was  unable  to  see  clearly  any  way  out.  He 
was  one  of  countless  individuals  marked  for  a  tidbit 
to  glut  the  gormandizing  of  a  trust.  He  had  by 
no  means  turned  craven  as  yet;  he  was  resolved  to 
hold  fast  to  his  business  until  the  last  possible  mo- 
ment, but  he  could  not  blind  himself  to  the  fact  that 
his  ultimate  yielding  seemed  inevitable. 

In  circumstances  such  as  these,  it  was  natural 
enough  that  Hamilton  should  appear  more  than  ever 
distrait  in  his  own  home,  for  he  found  himself  wholly 
unable  to  cast  out  of  his  mind  the  cares  that  harassed 
him.  They  were  ever  present  during  his  waking  mo- 
ments; they  pursued  him  in  the  hours  devoted  to 
slumber:  his  nights  were  a  riot  of  financial  night- 

75 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

mares.  He  was  polite  to  his  wife,  and  even  loverlike 
with  the  set  phrases  and  gestures  and  caresses  of 
habit.  Beyond  that,  he  paid  her  no  attention  at  all. 
His  consuming  interest  left  no  room  for  tender  con- 
cerns. He  had  no  time  for  social  recreations,  for 
the  theater,  or  functions,  or  informal  visits  to  friends 
in  Cicily's  company.  His  dark  face  grew  gloomy 
as  the  days  passed.  The  faint  creases  between  the 
eyebrows  deepened  into  something  that  gave  warn- 
ing of  an  habitual  frown  not  far  away  in  the  future, 
which  would  mar  the  boyish  handsomeness  of  his  face. 
The  firm  jaw  had  advanced  a  trifle,  set  in  a  steadfast 
defiance  against  the  fate  that  menaced.  His  speech 
was  brusquer. 

Cicily,  already  in  a  state  of  revolt  against  the  con- 
ditions of  her  life,  was  stimulated  to  carry  out  the 
ideas  nebulously  forming  in  her  alert  brain.  She 
felt  that  the  present  manner  of  living  must  soon  prove 
unendurable  to  her.  It  was  essential  that  a  change 
should  be  made,  and  that  speedily,  for  she  was  aware 
of  the  limitations  to  her  own  patience.  Her  tempera- 
ment was  not  one  to  let  her  sit  down  in  sackcloth  and 
ashes  to  weep  over  the  ruins  of  romance.  Rather, 
she  would  bestir  herself  to  create  a  new  sphere  of  ac- 

76 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

tivity,  wherein  she  might  find  happiness  in  some  other 
guise.  Yet,  despite  the  ingenuity  of  her  mind,  she 
could  not  for  some  time  determine  on  the  precise 
course  of  procedure  that  should  promise  success  to 
her  aspirations.  Primarily,  her  desire  was  to  work 
out  some  alteration  in  the  status  of  all  concerned 
by  which  the  domestic  ideal  might  be  maintained  in 
all  its  splendid  integrity.  But  her  tentative  efforts 
in  this  direction,  made  lightly  in  order  that  their  pur- 
port might  not  be  guessed  by  the  husband,  were 
destined  to  ignominious  failure.  Mrs.  Delancy,  a 
week  after  the  melancholy  anniversary  occasion,  made 
mention  of  the  fact  that  she  had  cautiously  spoken 
to  Charles  in  reference  to  his  neglect  of  the  young 
wife.  She  explained  that  his  manner  of  reply  con- 
vinced her  that,  in  reality,  the  man  was  merely  a 
bit  too  deeply  occupied  for  the  moment,  and  that, 
when  the  temporary  pressure  had  passed,  everything 
would  again  be  idyllic.  Mrs.  Delancy's  motive  in 
telling  her  niece  of  the  interview  was  to  convince  this 
depressed  person  that  the  matter  was,  after  all,  of 
only  trifling  importance.  In  this,  however,  she  failed 
signally.  Cicily  regarded  the  incident  as  yet  another 
evidence  of  a  developing  situation  that  must  be 

77 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

checked  quickly,  or  never.  But  she  took  advantage 
of  the  circumstancs  to  introduce  the  topic  with  Ham- 
ilton. To  her,  the  conversation  was  momentous,  al- 
though neither  by  word  nor  by  manner  did  she  let 
her  husband  suspect  that  the  discussion  was  aught 
beyond  the  casual. 

As  usual  now,  Hamilton,  on  his  return  at  night 
from  the  office,  had  shut  himself  in  the  library,  and 
was  busily  poring  over  a  bundle  of  papers,  when 
there  came  a  timid  knock  at  the  door.  In  response 
to  his  call,  Cicily  entered.  The  young  man  greeted 
his  wife  politely  enough,  and  even  called  her  "  dar- 
ling "  in  a  meaningless  tone  of  voice ;  but  the  frown 
did  not  relax,  and  constantly  his  eyes  wandered  to 
the  bundle  of  documents.  Cicily,  however,  was  not 
to  be  daunted,  for  his  manner  was  no  worse  than  she 
had  expected.  She  crossed  to  a  chair  that  faced  his, 
and  seated  herself.  When,  finally,  she  spoke,  it  was 
with  an  air  of  tender  solicitude,  and  the  smile  on  her 
scarlet  lips  was  gently  maternal. 

"  You  are  working  too  hard,  dear,"  she  remon- 
strated. "  You  must  relax  a  little  when  you  are  away 
from  the  office,  or  you'll  have  —  oh,  brain-fag,  or 
nervous  prostration,  or  some  such  dreadful  thing." 

78 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Well,  I'll  try  to  put  the  office  out  of  my  head 
for  a  little  while,"  was  the  obedient  answer,  which 
gave  the  woman  the  chance  she  desired. 

"  But  you  must  do  it  for  your  own  sake  —  not 
mine,  you  know.  You  see,  Aunt  Emma  told  me  that 
she  had  been  lecturing  you  a  bit  —  said  you  ought 
to  pay  me  more  attention,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing." 

"  Yes,  and  so  I  shall ;  but  I'm  pressed  to  death  j  ust 
now  —  After  a  bit  — " 

"  You  are  so  different !  "  Cicily  said,  almost  timidly, 
as  his  voice  trailed  into  silence.  "  Sometimes,  I  think 
—  I  fear  — "  Her  voice,  in  turn,  died. 

For  the  moment,  the  husband  was  moved  to  a  sud- 
den tenderness.  He  spoke  softly,  earnestly,  leaning 
toward  her. 

"  Cicily,  you  can't  realize  what  a  pleasure  it  is  to 
a  fellow,  when  he  is  pounding  away  downtown,  to 
stop  for  a  second  and  think  of  his  wife  at  home  wait- 
ing for  him  —  that  dear  girl  who  loves  him  —  the 
darling  one  far  away  from  all  the  turmoil  of  the 
sordid  fight." 

The  rhapsody,  although  genuine  enough,  was  not 
satisfying  to  the  wife.  The  limit  of  time  to  a  "  sec- 

79 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ond"  was  unfortunate.  There  was  distinct  irony  in 
her  tone  as  she  answered  with  a  question : 

"  And  the  farther  away  the  home,  the  greater  the 
pleasure,  doubtless  ?  " 

For  once,  Hamilton  was  susceptible;  and  he  was 
keenly  distressed,  momentarily. 

"  Cicily !  "  he  cried.  "  You  don't  doubt  my  love, 
do  you?  Why,  when  a  man  and  a  woman  marry, 
each  ought  to  take  the  other's  love  for  granted  — 
take  it  on  faith." 

But  the  wife  was  in  no  wise  consoled  by  this  trite 
defense.  It  had  been  made  too  familiar  to  her  in 
previous  discussions  between  them.  Her  answer  was 
tinged  with  bitterness: 

"  That's  the  only  way  in  which  I've  had  a  chance 
to  take  it  lately,"  she  said  slowly,  with  her  eyes  down- 
cast. 

The  persistence  of  her  mood  aggravated  the  man 
beyond  the  bounds  of  that  restraint  which  he  had 
imposed  on  himself.  His  nerves  were  overwrought, 
and,  under  the  impulse  of  irritation  over  another 
worry  at  home  added  to  those  by  which  he  was  al- 
ready overburdened,  he  flared. 

"  Cicily !  "  he  exclaimed,  sharply.  "  What  in  the 
80 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

world  has  come  over  you?  You  don't  want  to  hold 
me  back,  do  you?  You  don't  want  to  be  that  sort 
of  a  wife?  " 

A 

"  Charles ! "  Cicily  exclaimed,  in  her  turn  sharply. 
She  was  grievously  hurt  by  this  rebuke  from  the  man 
whom  she  loved. 

"  Forgive  me !  "  Hamilton  begged,  swiftly  contrite. 
"  I'm  just  nervous  —  tired.  It's  been  a  fearfully 
hard  day  downtown." 

His  obvious  sincerity  won  instant  forgiveness. 
Cicily  rose  from  her  chair,  and  came  to  seat  herself 
on  the  arm  of  his.  He  took  one  of  her  hands  in 
his,  and  her  free  hand  stroked  his  hair  in  a  familiar 
caress.  When  she  spoke,  it  was  with  a  tenderness 
that  was  half -humility. 

"  Would  it  help,  dear,  to  talk  to  me  ?  We  used 
always  to  talk  over  things,  you  know.  Don't  you 
remember?  You  said  ever  so  many  times  that  I  had 
so  much  common  sense !  " 

Again,  Hamilton  spoke  with  a  tactlessness  that  was 
fairly  appalling: 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  remember  very  well.  That  was  before 
we  were  married." 

'  Yes  —  before !  "     There  was  scorn  in  the  empha- 
81 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

sis   of   the   repetition.     It    aroused  the   husband   to 
knowledge  of  his  blunder. 

"I  —  didn't  mean  to  — "  he  stammered.  "I  —  I 
—  of  course,  you  understand  —  Really,  dearest, 
I'm  sorry  I've  been  so  occupied  lately.  I  hope  things 
will  brighten  up  soon ;  then,  I  shall  be  more  sociable. 
I've  thought  about  our  anniversary,  too.  It's  too 
bad  I  was  tied  up  that  night !  " 

Cicily  rose  from  her  position  on  the  arm  of  her 
husband's  chair,  and  strolled  across  the  room. 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right,"  she  remarked,  in  an  indif- 
ferent tone  of  voice.  "  Of  course,  business  must 
come  first."  Her  beautiful  face  was  very  somber 
now ;  her  eyes  were  turned  away  from  the  man. 

But  Hamilton  was  amply  content.  His  absorption 
in  other  things  rendered  him  somewhat  unobservant 
of  certain  niceties  in  expression  just  now.  He  sprang 
up,  and  went  to  his  wife.  With  his  hands  on  her 
shoulders,  he  declared  his  satisfaction  with  the  situa- 
tion as  it  appeared  to  him  at  this  time: 

"  That's  my  real  Cicily  —  my  little  girl !     .     . 
Now,  another  anniversary  — " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  the  wife  agreed,  "  as  I  reminded  you 
before,  there  will  be  plenty  of  other  anniversaries  — 

82 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

lots  more  —  so  many  more !  "  The  melancholy  note 
in  her  voice  escaped  the  listener,  as  she  had  known 
that  it  would.  His  answer  was  enthusiastic: 

"  Yes,  indeed !  Both  of  our  families  are  long- 
lived.  Do  you  remember,  when  we  got  engaged,  how 
you  said  it  was  so  awfully  serious,  because  all  the 
women  in  your  family  lived  to  be  seventy  or  more  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  remember ! "  Then,  abruptly  recalling 
the  original  motive  with  which  she  had  sought  this 
conversation,  Cicily,  by  an  effort  of  will  that  cost  her 
much,  spoke  with  a  manner  half-gaily  sympathetic: 

"  Charles,  why  don't  you  tell  me  now  all  about  this 
horrid  business  of  yours  ?  " 

At  the  question,  the  man's  face  quickly  grew  grim, 
and  the  frown  deepened  perceptibly  between  his  brows. 
He  dropped  his  hands  from  his  wife's  shoulders, 
turned  away,  and  went  back  to  reseat  himself  in  the 
chair  by  the  broad  table,  on  which  was  spread  out 
the  bundle  of  business  papers.  He  did  not  look  up 
toward  the  woman,  who  followed  him  with  something 
of  timidity,  and  took  her  position  anew  in  the  chair 
facing  him.  He  had  no  eyes  for  the  pleading  anxiety 
in  the  gaze  that  was  fixed  on  him.  His  mood  was 
once  more  heavy  under  the  weight  of  business  worry. 

83 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Oh,  what's  the  use  of  telling  you !  "  he  snapped, 
brutally ;  but  that  he  had  meant  nothing  personal  in 
the  question  was  shown  at  once,  for  he  added,  in  the 
same  sentence :  " —  or  anybody  else  ?  " 

Cicily  had  whitened  a  little  at  the  opening  phrase, 
but  her  color  crept  back,  as  she  heard  the  end  of  the 
impatient  question.  After  a  little,  she  ventured  to 
repeat  her  request  for  some  information  as  to  the 
status  of  affairs  in  the  factory. 

"  Why,  as  to  that,"  Hamilton  replied,  in  a  tone 
of  discomfort,  "  the  facts  are  simple  enough ;  but  they 
spell  disaster  for  me,  unless  I  can  contrive  some  way 
or  another  out  of  the  mess  in  which  I'm  involved  by 
the  new  moves.  You  see,  Carrington  has  sold  his 
factory.  He's  sold  out  to  the  trust  —  that's  the  root 
of  the  whole  trouble.  So,  he  and  Morton  are  mak- 
ing a  fight  against  me.  They  mean  to  put  me  down 
and  out.  It's  good  business  from  their  standpoint; 
but  it's  ruin  for  me,  if  they  succeed.  They  think 
that  I'm  only  a  youngster,  and  that  I  sha'n't  be  able 
to  stand  up  against  their  schemes.  They  are  of  the 
opinion  that,  since  Dad  is  gone,  they  will  have  a  snap 
in  wiping  me  off  the  map.  They  fancy  that  I  don't 
know  a  blessed  thing  in  the  world  except  football." 

84 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Hamilton  paused  for  a  moment,  and  his  jaw  shot  out 
a  little  farther  forward;  his  lips  shut  tensely  for  a 
few  seconds.  Then,  they  relaxed  again,  as  he  con- 
tinued his  explanation  of  the  situation  that  confronted 
him.  "  They're  down  in  my  territory  now,  plotting 
to  undermine  my  business  in  various  ways.  They 
have  the  belief  that  I  am  not  up  to  their  plans ;  but 
I  know  more  than  they  give  me  credit  for."  His 
voice  rose  a  little,  and  grew  harsher.  "  Well,  I'm 
not  such  a  fool  as  they  fancy  I  am,  perhaps.  I'm 
going  to  show  'em !  I'm  in  this  game,  and  I'm  going 
to  fight,  and  to  fight  hard.  I'm  not  going  to  let  'em 
score.  The  play  won't  be  over  till  the  whistle  blows. 
I  tell  you,  I'll  show  'em!" 

As  he  continued  speaking,  the  wife's  expression 
changed  rapidly.  By  the  time  he  had  come  to  a 
pause,  it  was  radiant.  Indeed,  now,  for  the  first  time 
in  many  dreary  weeks,  Cicily  felt  that  she  was  truly 
a  wife  in  all  senses  of  the  word.  Here,  at  last,  she 
was  become  a  helpmeet  to  her  husband.  That  bete 
noire  business  was  no  longer  the  thing  apart  from 
her.  She  was  made  the  confidante  of  her  husband's 
affairs  abroad.  She  was  made  the  recipient  of  the 
most  vital  explanations.  She  was  asked  to  share  his 

85 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

worries,  to  counsel  him.  Thus,  in  her  usual  impulsive- 
ness, the  volatile  girl  was  carried  much  too  far,  much 
beyond  the  actuality.  As  Hamilton  ceased  speaking, 
she  leaned  forward  eagerly.  The  rose  was  deeply 
red  in  her  cheeks ;  the  amber  eyes  were  glowing.  Her 
voice  was  musically  shrill,  as  she  cried  out,  with  irre- 
pressible enthusiasm: 

"  Yes,  yes,  Charles,  we'll  show  'em !  We'll  show 
'em ! " 

For  a  moment,  the  man  stared  at  the  speaker  dum- 
founded  by  the  unexpected  outbreak.  Presently, 
however,  the  import  of  her  speech  began  to  be  made 
clear  to  him.  "We?"  he  repeated,  doubtfully. 
"  You  mean  — "  He  hesitated,  then  added :  "  You 
mean  that  you  —  and  I  —  that  is,  you  mean  that 
you — ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  Cicily  answered  hastily,  with  no  abate- 
ment of  her  excitement  and  triumph.  "  Yes,  to- 
gether, we'll  show  'em !  " 

At  this  explicit  declaration,  Hamilton  burst  out 
laughing. 

"You!"  he  ejaculated,  derisively. 

"Yes,  I,"  Cicily  maintained,  stoutly.  "Why,  I 
86 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

showed  Mrs.  Carrington  the  other  day.  Next,  we'fl 
beat  her  husband.  You  know,  I  beat  her  for  the  pres- 
idency of  the  club." 

"  Well,  then,  stick  to  your  club,  my  dear,"  Hamil- 
ton counseled,  tersely.  "  I'll  attend  to  the  real  busi- 
ness for  this  family."  His  face  was  grown  somber 
again. 

"  That's  just  like  Uncle  Jim,"  Cicily  retorted,  bit- 
terly disappointed  by  this  disillusionment.  "  I  sup- 
pose you  want  me  to  be  like  Aunt  Emma." 

"  She's  perfect  —  certainly !  " 

Cicily  abandoned  the  struggle  for  the  time  being, 
acknowledging  almost  complete  defeat.  There  was 
only  a  single  consoling  thought.  At  least,  he  had 
talked  with  her  intimately  concerning  his  affairs. 
With  an  abrupt  change  of  manner,  she  stood  up  list- 
lessly, and  spoke  in  such  a  fashion  as  might  become 
an  old-fashioned  wife,  although  her  voice  was  life- 
less. 

"  I'll  get  your  house-coat,  dear,"  she  said,  simply. 
"  And,  then,  while  you  look  after  your  business  during 
the  evening,  I'll  do  —  my  knitting !  "  Her  hands 
clenched  tightly  as  she  went  forth  from  the  study,  but 

87 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  master  of  the  house  was  unobservant  when  it  came 
to  such  insignificant  details.     He  was  already  poring 
over  the  documents  on  the  table;  but  he  called  out 
amiably  as  he  heard  the  door  open. 
"  That's  the  dear  girl !  "  he  said. 


CHAPTER  V 

Two  evenings  after  this  memorable  interview  be- 
tween husband  and  wife,  Carrington  and  Morton  were 
closeted  with  Hamilton  in  his  library.  To  anyone  who 
had  chanced  to  look  in  on  the  group,  it  would  have 
seemed  rather  an  agreeable  trio  of  friends  passing  a 
sociable  evening  of  elegant  leisure.  Hamilton  alone, 
as  he  sat  in  the  chair  before  the  table,  displayed  some- 
thing of  his  inner  feelings  by  the  creases  between 
his  brows  and  the  compression  of  his  lips  and  a  slight 
tensity  in  his  attitude.  Morton  was  stretched  grace- 
fully in  a  chair  facing  that  of  his  host  and  prospec- 
tive victim,  while  Carrington  was  close  by,  so  that  the 
two  seemed  ranked  against  the  one.  A  close  student 
of  types  would  have  had  no  hesitation  in  declaring 
Morton  to  be  much  the  more  intelligent  and  crafty  of 
the  two  visitors.  He  appeared  the  familiar  shrewd, 
smooth,  well-groomed  New  Yorker,  excellently  pre- 
served for  all  his  sixty-five  years ;  one  who  could  be  at 
will  persuasive  and  genial,  or  hard  as  steel.  In  his 
evening  dress,  he  showed  to  advantage,  and  his  man- 

89 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

»er  toward  Hamilton  was  gently  paternal,  as  that  of 
an  old  family  friend  who  has  chanced  in  for  a  pleasant 
hour  with  the  son  of  a  former  intimate.  Carrington, 
on  the  contrary,  was  of  the  grosser  type  of  successful 
business  man.  A  frock-coat  sufficed  him  for  the 
evening  always.  There  was  about  him  in  every  way  a 
heaviness  that  indicated  he  could  not  be  a  leader,  only 
a  follower  after  the  commands  of  wiser  men.  But,  in 
such  following,  he  would  be  of  powerful  executive 
ability. 

"  Do  you  know,"  Morton  was  saying,  "  it's  really 
a  great  personal  pleasure  for  me  to  come  here,  Ham- 
ilton, my  boy.  It  reminds  me  of  the  many  times 
when  I  used  to  sit  here  with  your  father."  As  he 
ceased  speaking,  he  smiled  benevolently  on  the  young 
man  opposite  him. 

Hamilton  nodded,  without  much  appearance  of 
graciousness.  He  was  more  than  suspicious  as  to  the 
sincerity  of  this  man's  kindly  manner. 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  he  said.  "  You  and  he  had  many 
dealings  together,  I  believe,  didn't  you,  Mr.  Mor- 
ton?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed,"  came  the  ready  answer;  "  many 
and  many.  He  was  a  shrewd  trader,  was  your  father. 

90 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

It's  a  pity  he  cannot  be  here  to  know  what  a  prom- 
ising young  man  of  business  his  son  has  become.  He 
would  be  proud  of  you,  my  boy." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Morton,"  Hamilton  responded. 
"  For  that  matter,  I  myself  wish  that  Dad  were  here 
just  now  to  help  me." 

Again,  the  visitor  smiled,  and  with  a  warm  expan- 
siveness  that  was  meant  to  indicate  a  heart  full  of 
generous  helpfulness. 

"  You  don't  need  him,  my  boy,"  he  declared,  unctu- 
ously. "  You  are  dealing  with  an  old  friend." 

Carrington  nodded  in  ponderous  corroboration  of 
the  statement. 

"  Of  course  not,  of  course  not ! "  he  rumbled,  in  a 
husky  bass  voice. 

Hamilton  let  irritation  run  away  with  discretion. 
He  spoke  with  something  that  was  very  like  a  sneer : 

"  I  thought  possibly  that  was  just  why  I  might 
need  him." 

Morton  seemed  not  to  hear  the  caustic  comment. 
At  any  rate,  he  blandly  ignored  it,  as  he  turned  to 
address  Carrington. 

"  You  remember  Hamilton,  senior,  don't  you  ?  "  he 
asked. 

91 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Very  well !  "  replied  the  gentleman  of  weight. 
His  red  face  grew  almost  apoplectic,  and  the  big  body 
writhed  in  the  chair.  His  tones  were  surcharged 
with  a  bitterness  that  he  tried  in  vain  to  conceal. 
Morton  regarded  these  signs  of  feeling  with  an  amuse- 
ment that  he  had  no  reluctance  in  displaying.  On  the 
contrary,  he  laughed  aloud  in  his  associate's  face. 

"  Well,  yes,"  he  said,  still  smiling,  "  I  fancy  that 
you  ought  to  remember  Hamilton,  senior,  and  remem- 
ber him  very  well,  too.  But,  anyhow,  by-gones  are 
by-gones.  You  weren't  alone  in  your  misery,  Car- 
rington.  He  beat  me,  too,  several  times." 

Hamilton  smiled  now,  but  wryly. 

"  So,"  he  suggested  whimsically,  yet  bitterly,  "  now 
that  he's  dead,  you  two  gentlemen  have  decided  to 
combine  in  order  to  beat  his  son.  That's  about  it, 
eh?" 

Carrington,  who  was  not  blessed  with  a  self-con- 
trol, or  an  art  of  hypocrisy  equal  to  that  of  his  ally, 
emitted  a  cackling  laugh  of  triumph.  But  Morton 
refused  to  accept  the  charge.  Instead,  he  spoke  with 
an  admirable  conviction  in  his  voice,  a  hint  of  indig- 
nant, pained  remonstrance. 

"  Ridiculous,  my  dear  boy  —  ridiculous !     Just  look 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

on  me  as  being  in  your  father's  place.  No,  no,  Ham- 
ilton, there's  room  for  all  of  us.  There's  a  reason- 
able profit  for  all  of  us  in  the  business  —  if  onlj  we'll 
be  sensible  about  it." 

"  It  only  remains  to  decide  as  to  the  sensible  course, 
then,"  Hamilton  rejoined,  coldly.  "  I  suppose,  in 
this  instance,  it  means  that  I  should  decide  to  follow 
the  course  you  have  outlined  for  me.  Now,  I  have 
your  offer  before  me  on  this  paper.  Briefly  stated, 
your  proposition  to  me  is  that  you  will  take  all  the 
boxes  I  am  able  to  deliver  to  you  —  that  is  to  say, 
you  agree  to  keep  my  factory  busy.  For  this  prom- 
ise on  your  part,  you  require  two  stipulations  from 
me  as  conditions.  The  first  is  that  I  shall  not  sell  any 
boxes  to  the  Independent  Plug  Tobacco  Factory ;  the 
second  is  that  I  shall  sell  my  boxes  to  you  at  a  regular 
price  of  eleven  cents  each.  I  believe  I  have  stated 
the  matter  accurately.  Have  I  not?  " 

"  You  have  stated  it  exactly,"  Morton  assured 
the  questioner.  "  That  is  the  situation  in  a  nut- 
shell." 

"  Unfortunately,"  Hamilton  went  on,  speaking  with 
great  precision,  "  it's  quite  impossible  for  me  to  make 
any  such  agreement  with  you  —  utterly  impossible." 

93 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

He  looked  his  adversary  squarely  in  the  eye,  and 
shook  his  head  in  emphatic  negation. 

Carrington  merely  emitted  a  bourdon  grunt.  Mor- 
ton, however,  maintained  the  argument,  undeterred 
by  the  finality  of  Hamilton's  manner. 

"  But,  my  dear  boy,"  he  exclaimed  quickly,  "  we're 
not  asking  you  to  do  anything  that  you  haven't  done 
already.  Why,  you  furnished  me  with  one  lot  at  nine 
cents." 

"  At  a  loss,  in  order  to  secure  custom  against  com- 
petition," was  the  prompt  retort.  "  It  costs  exactly 
eleven  cents  to  turn  out  those  boxes." 

Morton  persisted  in  his  refusal  to  admit  the  justice 
of  the  young  man's  refusal  to  accept  the  terms  of- 
fered. 

"  But,  my  dear  boy,"  he  continued,  "  take  your 
last  four  bids.  I  mean  the  bids  that  you  and  Car- 
rington made  before  we  bought  out  Carrington.  The 
first  time,  Carrington  bid  eleven  cents ;  while  you  bid 
fourteen.  On  the  second  lot  Carrington  bid  thirteen ; 
and  you  bid  nine." 

"  You  illustrate  my  contention  very  well,"  Hamil- 
ton interrupted.  "  At  eleven  cents  a  box,  Carrington 
hardly  quit  even.  It  was  for  that  reason  he  bid  thir- 

94 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

teen  on  the  following  lot;  while  I,  because  I  was 
bound  to  get  a  look  in  on  the  business,  even  at  a  loss 
—  why,  I  bid  nine  cents.  The  result  was  that  I  got 
the  order,  and  it  cost  me  a  loss  of  just  two  cents  on 
each  and  every  box  to  fill  it."  A  contented  rumble 
from  the  large  man  emphasized  the  truth  of  the  state- 
ment. 

Nothing  daunted,  Morton  resumed  his  narrative  of 
operations  in  the  box  trade. 

"  On  the  third  lot,  Carrington  bid  eight  cents, 
while  you  bid  eighteen." 

Carrington's  indignation  was  too  much  for  reti- 
cence. 

"  Yes,  I  got  that  order,"  he  roared,  wrathfully. 
"  It  was  a  million  box  order,  too  — "  The  withering 
look  bestowed  on  the  speaker  by  Morton  caused  him 
to  break  off  and  to  cower  as  abjectly  in  his  chair  as 
was  possible  to  one  of  his  bulk. 

"  His  success  in  being  the  winner  in  that  bout  cost 
him  three  cents  each  for  the  million  boxes,"  Hamil- 
ton commented.  "  Well  ?  " 

"  Well,"  Morton  said  crisply,  "  for  the  fourth  and 
biggest  order,  Carrington  bid  seventeen,  and  you  bid 
sixteen." 

95 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Yes,  yes ! "  Carrington  spluttered,  forgetful  of 
the  rebuke  just  administered  to  him.  "And,  on  the 
four  lots,  Hamilton,  you  cleaned  up  a  profit,  while  I 
lost  out  —  so  much  that  I  had  to  sell  control  of  my 
plant.  And  you  call  that  fair  competition !  " 

Morton  grinned  appreciation.  The  young  man 
regarded  the  ponderous  figure  of  Carrington  with 
something  approaching  stupefaction  over  the  sheer 
bravado  of  the  question. 

"Was  that  your  motive  in  joining  the  trust,"  he 
demanded  ironically:  "to  get  fair  competition?" 

Again,  Morton  laughed  aloud,  in  keen  enjoyment 
of  the  thrust. 

"  You're  your  own  father's  son,  Hamilton,"  he  de- 
clared, gaily. 

Hamilton,  however,  was  not  to  be  cajoled  into 
friendliness  by  superficial  compliment. 

"  Probably,"  he  said  sternly,  "  I  might  not  have 
been  able  to  do  so  well,  if  you  had  not  been  clever 
enough  to  let  both  Carrington  and  myself  each  see 
the  figures  of  the  other's  secret  bid  as  a  great  per- 
sonal favor." 

As  the  words  entered  Carrington's  consciousness, 
96 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  ungainly  form  sat  erect  with  a  sudden  violence  of 
movement  that  sent  the  chair  sliding  back  three  feet 
over  the  polished  floor.  The  red  face  darkened  to  a 
perilous  purple,  and  the  narrow,  dull  eyes  flashed  fire. 
He  struggled  gaspingly  for  a  moment  to  speak  —  in 
vain.  Morton's  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  man,  and  those 
eyes  were  very  clear  and  very  cold.  Carrington  met 
the  steady  stare,  and  it  sobered  his  wrath  in  a  meas- 
ure, so  that  presently  he  was  able  to  utter  words  in- 
telligibly. But,  now,  they  were  not  what  they  would 
have  been  a  few  seconds  earlier : 

"  You  —  you  told  him  what  I  bid?  " 

Hamilton  took  the  answer  on  himself. 

"  Surely,  he  did,  Carrington."  The  young  man 
spoke  with  cheerfulness,  in  the  presence  of  the  discom- 
fiture of  his  enemy.  "  He  told  you  what  I  bid ;  and, 
in  just  the  same  way,  he  told  me  what  you  bid  — 
every  time ! " 

For  a  long  minute,  Morton  stared  on  at  his  under- 
ling whom  he  had  betrayed.  Under  that  look,  the 
unhappy  victim  of  a  superior's  wiles,  sat  uneasily  at 
first  in  a  vague  effort  toward  defiance ;  then,  his  cour- 
age oozed  away,  he  shifted  uneasily  in  his  seat,  and 

97 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

his  eyes  wandered  abashedly  about  the  room.  Con- 
vinced that  the  revolt  was  suppressed,  Morton  turned 
again  to  the  young  man  opposite  him. 

"  All  that  is  done  with  now."  The  tone  was  sharp  ; 
the  mask  of  urbanity  had  fallen  from  the  resolute 
face,  which  showed  now  an  expression  relentless, 
dominant.  "  Hamilton,  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 
The  manner  of  the  question  was  a  challenge. 

"  I  can't  make  money  selling  boxes  at  eleven  cents," 
Hamilton  answered  wearily.  "  Nobody  could." 

"  At  least,  you  won't  lose  any,"  was  the  meaning 
answer.  Then,  in  reply  to  Hamilton's  half-con- 
temptuous shrug,  Morton  continued  frankly.  "  After 
all,  Hamilton,  you  can  make  a  profit.  It  won't  be 
large,  but  it  will  be  a  profit.  This  is  the  day  of  small 
profits,  you  must  remember.  It  will  be  necessary 
for  you  to  put  in  a  few  more  of  the  latest-model  ma- 
chines, and  to  cut  labor  a  bit.  In  that  way,  you  will 
secure  a  profit.  You  must  cut  expense  to  the  limit." 

The  young  man  regarded  Morton  with  strong  dis- 
like. 

"  What  you  mean,"  he  said  angrily,  "  is  that  I  must 
put  my  factory  on  a  starvation  business.  Now,  I 
don't  want  to  cut  wages.  It's  a  sad  fact  that  the  men 

98 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

at  present  don't  get  a  cent  more  than  they're  worth. 
Besides  that,  some  of  them  have  been  working  in  the 
factory  for  father  more  than  thirty  years." 

"  There  is  no  room  for  such  pensioners  in  these 
days  of  small  profits,"  Morton  declared,  super- 
ciliously. "  However,  it's  no  business  of  mine.  Re- 
member, though,  it's  your  only  chance  to  keep  clear." 

"  No,"  Hamilton  announced  bravely,  "  I'll  not  cut 
the  wage-scale.  I'll  sell  to  the  trade,  at  thirteen.  It's 
mighty  little  profit,  but  it's  something." 

Morton  shook  his  head. 

"  The  Carrington  factory,"  he  said  threateningly, 
"  will  sell  to  the  trade  for  ten  cents,  until  — " 

" —  Until  I'm  cleaned  out ! "  Hamilton  cried, 
fiercely. 

Morton  lifted  a  restraining  hand.  He  was  again 
his  most  suave  self. 

"  My  dear  boy,"  he  said  gently,  "  I  liked  your 
father,  and  I  esteemed  him  highly.  He  was  a  shrewd 
trader :  he  never  tried  to  match  pennies  against  hun- 
dred-dollar bills.  .  .  .  The  moral  is  obvious, 
when  you  consider  your  factory  alone  as  opposed  to 
certain  other  interests.  So,  take  my  advice.  Try 
cutting.  The  men  would  much  rather  have  smaller 

99 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

wages  than  none  at  all,  I'm  sure.  Think  it  over.  Let 
me  know  by  Saturday.  .  .  .  The  Carrington 
factory  is  to  issue  its  price-list  on  Monday." 

Hamilton  was  worn  out  by  the  unequal  combat. 
He  hesitated  for  a  little,  then  spoke  moodily : 

"  Very  well.     I'll  let  you  know  by  Saturday." 

When,  at  last,  his  guests  had  departed,  the  wretched 
young  man  dropped  his  head  on  his  arms  over  the 
heap  of  papers,  and  groaned  aloud.  .  .  .  He 
could  see  no  ray  of  hope  —  none ! 


CHAPTER  VI 

IT  was  a  half -hour  after  the  breaking  up  of  the 
conference  when  Hamilton  at  last  raised  his  head  from 
his  arms.  He  looked  about  him  dazedly  for  a  little 
while,  as  if  endeavoring  to  put  himself  in  touch  once 
again  with  the  humdrum  facts  of  existence.  Then, 
when  his  brain  cleared  from  the  lethargy  imposed  bj 
the  strain  to  which  it  had  so  recently  been  subjected, 
he  gave  a  sudden  defiant  toss  of  his  head,  and  muttered 
wrathf ully :  "  Go  broke,  or  starve  your  men !  "  He 
got  out  of  his  chair,  and  paced  to  and  fro  swiftly  for 
a  little  interval,  pondering  wildly.  But,  of  a  sudden, 
he  reseated  himself,  drew  a  pad  of  paper  to  him,  and 
began  scrawling  figures  at  the  full  speed  of  his  pencil. 
And,  as  he  wrote,  he  was  murmuring  to  himself: 
"  There  is  a  way  out  —  there  must  be !  " 

It  was  while  the  husband  was  thus  occupied  that  the 
door  opened  softly,  without  any  preliminary  knock, 
and  the  wife  stepped  noiselessly  into  the  room.  The 
anxiety  that  beset  her  was  painfully  apparent  in  her 

101 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

bearing  and  in  the  expression  of  her  face.  Her  form 
seemed  drooping,  as  if  under  shrinking  apprehension 
of  some  blow  about  to  fall.  The  eyes  of  amber,  usu- 
ally so  deep  and  radiant,  were  dulled  now,  as  if  by 
many  tears;  the  rich  scarlet  of  the  lips'  curves  was 
bent  downward  mournfully.  She  stood  just  within 
the  doorway  for  a  brief  space,  watching  intently  the 
man  who  was  so  busy  over  his  scrawled  figures.  At 
last,  she  ventured  forward,  walking  in  a  laggard, 
rhythmic  step,  as  do  church  dignitaries  and  choir-boys 
in  a  processional.  By  such  slow  stages,  she  came  to 
a  place  opposite  her  husband.  There,  she  remained, 
upright,  mute,  waiting.  The  magnetism  of  her  pres- 
ence penetrated  to  him  by  subtle  degrees. 
He  looked  up  at  her,  with  no  recognition  in  his  eyes. 

"  They've  gone,  dear? "  She  spoke  the  words 
very  softly,  for  she  understood  instinctively  some- 
thing as  to  the  trance  in  which  he  was  held. 

Hamilton's  abstraction  was  dissipated  as  the  famil- 
iar music  of  Cicily's  voice  beat  gently  on  his  ears. 

"  Yes  —  oh,  yes,  they've  gone."  His  voice  was 
colorless.  His  eyes  went  out  to  the  array  of  figures 
that  sprawled  recklessly  over  the  sheet  before  him. 

But  the  young  woman  was  not  to  be  frustrated  in 
102 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

her  intention  by  such  indifference  on  his  part.  She 
spoke  again,  at  once,  a  little  more  loudly : 

"  Tell  me :    Did  you  come  out  all  right  ?  " 

Hamilton  raised  his  head  with  an  impatient  move- 
ment. Evidently,  this  persistence  was  a  distracting 
influence  —  a  displeasing.  There  was  harshness  in 
his  voice  as  he  replied: 

"  Did  I  come  out  all  right  ?  Well,  yes  —  since  I 
came  out  at  all.  Oh,  yes !  "  His  voice  mounted  in 
the  scale,  under  the  impulse  of  a  sudden  access  of  rage 
against  his  enemies.  He  spoke  with  a  savage  rapid- 
ity of  utterance :  "  And  I  can  lick  Carrington  any 
day  in  the  week.  Why,  I've  already  put  him  out. 
It's  Morton  —  that  old  fox  Morton  who's  got  me 
guessing.  .  .  .  What  do  you  think  ?  They  even 
had  the  nerve  to  threaten  me.  Of  course,  it  was  in  a 
round-about  way;  but  it  was  a  threat  all  the  same. 
They  threatened  to  close  up  the  Hamilton  factory. 
Gad!  the  nerve  of  it!" 

"  They  threatened  to  close  up  your  factory, 
Charles?"  Cicily  exclaimed,  astonished  and  angry. 
"  But  you  own  the  Hamilton  factory.  What  have 
they  to  do  with  it  ?  The  impudence  of  them !  " 

"  Yes,  I  own  the  factory,  all  right,"  the  husband 
103 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

agreed.  "  But,  you  see  — "  Hamilton  broke  off  ab- 
ruptly, and  was  silent  for  a  moment.  When  he  spoke 
again,  the  liveliness  was  gone  from  his  voice:  it  was 
become  quietly  patronizing.  "  Oh,  let's  forget  it, 
dear.  I  must  be  going  dotty.  I'll  be  talking  busi- 
ness with  you,  the  first  thing  I  know." 

"  I  only  wish  you  would ! "  Cicily  answered,  with  a 
note  of  pleading  in  her  tones. 

"  Nonsense !  "  was  the  gruff  exclamation.  "  The 
idea  of  talking  business  with  you.  That  would  be  a 
joke,  wouldn't  it?  "  He  spoke  banteringly,  with  no 
perception  of  the  gravity  in  his  wife's  desire  to  share 
in  this  phase  of  his  life.  But  he  looked  up  from  the 
papers  after  a  moment  into  his  wife's  face.  She  had 
turned  from  him,  and  then  had  reclined  wearily  in  the 
chair  opposite  him,  whence  she  had  been  staring  at 
him  with  a  tormenting  feeling  of  impotence.  The 
expression  on  her  face  was  such  that  Hamilton  re- 
alized her  distress,  without  having  any  clue  to  its 
cause. 

"  Now,  sweetheart,  what's  wrong?  "  he  questioned. 
He  was  half-sympathetic  over  her  apparent  misery, 
half -annoyed. 

104 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Cicily,  with  the  intuitive  sensitiveness  of  a  woman 
to  recognize  a  lover's  hostile  feeling  beneath  the 
spoken  words,  was  acutely  conscious  of  the  annoy- 
ance ;  she  ignored  the  modicum  of  sympathy.  To  con- 
ceal her  hurt,  she  had  resort  to  a  fictitious  gaiety  that 
was  ill  calculated,  however,  to  deceive,  for  the  stress 
of  her  disappointment  was  very  great. 

"  The  matter  with  me  ?  "  she  repeated,  with  an  as- 
sumption of  surprise.  "  Why,  the  matter  with  me  is 
that  I'm  so  happy  —  that's  all !  " 

"  Cicily !  "  Now,  at  last,  the  husband  was  both 
shocked  and  grieved  over  his  wife's  mood. 

"  Yes,  that's  it  —  happy !  "  the  suffering  girl  re- 
peated. "Why,  I'm  so  happy  —  just  so  happy  — 
that  I  could  scream !  " 

Hamilton  leaned  forward  in  his  chair,  to  regard 
his  wife  scrutinizingly.  He  was  filled  with  alarm 
over  the  nervous,  almost  hysterical,  condition  in  which 
he  now  beheld  her. 

"  Cicily,  are  you  well?  "  he  asked.  There  was  a 
distinct  quaver  of  fear  in  his  voice.  "  You  look  — 
strange,  somehow." 

"  Oh,  not  at  all !  "  came  the  flippant  retort.  "  It's 
105 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

merely  that  you  haven't  really  taken  a  good  look  at 
me  lately  —  until  just  this  minute.  So,  of  course, 
I'd  look  a  bit  strange  to  you." 

It  must  be  remembered  that  Hamilton,  although 
usually  intelligent,  had  a  clear  conscience  and  no  sus- 
picion whatsoever  as  to  any  culpability  on  his  part  in 
his  relations  with  his  wife:  thus  it  was  that  now  he 
was  wholly  impervious  to  the  sarcasm  of  her  reference, 
which  he  answered  with  the  utmost  seriousness. 

"  My  dear,  I  saw  you  this  morning,  last  night  — 
oh,  heaps  of  times,  every  day." 

"  Oh,  your  physical  eyes  have  seen;  but  your  mind, 
your  heart,  your  soul  —  the  true  you  —  hasn't  seen 
me  for  I  don't  know  how  long." 

This  cryptic  explanation  was  too  subtle  for  Hamil- 
ton to  grasp  while  yet  his  brain  was  fogged  by  the 
intricacies  of  his  business  affairs.  He  gazed  on  his 
wife  in  puzzled  fashion  for  a  few  seconds,  then  aban- 
doned the  problem  as  one  altogether  beyond  his  solv- 
ing. To  clear  up  a  vague  suspicion  that  this  might 
be  some  new  astonishing  display  of  a  woman's  indirect 
wiles,  he  put  a  question : 

"  My  dear,  do  you  want  a  new  automobile,  or  a 
doctor?  " 

106 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Neither !  "  came  the  crisp  reply ;  and  for  once  the 
musical  voice  was  almost  harsh.  "  I  want  a  hus- 
band!" 

"  Good  Lord!  Another?  "  Hamilton  was  pained 
and  scandalized,  as,  indeed,  was  but  natural  before  a 
confession  so  indecorous  seemingly  and  so  unflattering 
to  himself. 

"  I  don't  want  the  one  I  have  now,"  Cicily  affirmed, 
with  great  emphasis.  She  rather  enjoyed  the  manner 
in  which  the  man  shrank  under  her  declaration.  But 
he  said  nothing  as  she  paused:  he  was  momentarily 
too  dumfounded  for  speech.  "  I  want  my  first  one 
back,"  Cicily  concluded. 

Hamilton  gaped  at  his  wife,  powerless  to  do  aught 
beyond  grope  in  mental  blackness  for  some  ray  of  un- 
derstanding as  to  this  horrible  revelation  made  by  the 
woman  he  loved. 

"  You  —  you  want  your  first  one  back !  "  he  re- 
peated stupidly,  at  last.  Of  a  sudden,  a  gust  of  fury 
shook  him.  "  God !  "  he  cried  savagely.  "  And  I 
thought  I  knew  that  girl !  " 

Cicily  rested  unperturbed  before  the  outbreak.  She 
was  absorbed  in  her  own  torment,  with  no  sentiment  to 
spare  for  the  temporary  anguish  she  was  inflicting  on 

107 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

her  husband,   which,  in   her   opinion,   he  richly   de- 
served. 

"  You  did  know  me  once,"  she  answered,  coldly. 
"  That  was  before  you  changed  toward  me." 

The  injustice  of  this  charge,  as  he  deemed  it,  was 
beyond  Hamilton's  powers  of  endurance.  He  sprang 
from  his  chair,  and  stood  glowering  down  on  Cicily, 
who  bore  the  stern  accusation  of  his  eyes  without 
flinching.  The  pallor  of  her  face  was  a  little  more 
pronounced  than  usual,  less  touched  from  within  with 
the  hue  of  abounding  health,  and  her  crimson  mouth 
was  less  tender  than  it  was  wont  to  be.  But  she  leaned 
back  in  her  chair  in  a  posture  of  grace  that  dis- 
played to  advantage  the  slender,  curving  charm  of  her 
body,  and  her  eyes,  shining  golden  in  the  soft  light 
of  the  room,  met  the  man's  steadfastly,  fearlessly. 

"I  —  changed  —  to  you !  "  Hamilton  stormed. 
"  Cicily !  Cicily !  What  madness !  You  know  —  oh, 
absurd!  Why,  Cicily,  I  love  you.  ...  I  think 
of  you  always !  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  love  me,"  Cicily  agreed,  contemptu- 
ously. "  You  think  of  me  always  • —  when  your  other 
love  will  let  you." 

"Cicily!" 

108 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"I  mean  it,"  came  uncompromisingly,  in  answer 
to  Hamilton's  look  of  horror.  "  I  mean  every  word 
of  it!" 

"  Cicily,"  the  husband  besought,  as  a  great  dread 
fell  on  his  soul,  "  remember,  you  are  my  wife  —  my 
love!" 

"  Yes,  I'm  one  of  them."  The  tone  was  icy ;  the 
gaze  fixed  on  his  face  was  unwavering. 

But  this  utterance  was  too  sinister  to  be  borne.  The 
pride  of  the  man  in  his  own  faithfulness  was  outraged. 
His  voice  was  low  when  he  spoke  again,  yet  in  it  was 
a  quality  that  the  young  wife  had  never  heard  before. 
It  frightened  her  sorely,  although  she  concealed  its 
effect  by  a  mighty  effort  of  will. 

"  That  is  an  insult  to  you  and  to  me,  Cicily.  It  is 
an  insult  I  cannot  —  I  will  not  —  permit." 

It  was  evident  to  Cicily  that  she  had  carried  the 
war  in  this  direction  far  enough :  she  hastened  her  re- 
treat. 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  say  that  you  were  in  love  with  an- 
other woman,"  she  explained,  with  an  excellent  affec- 
tation of  carelessness.  "  For  that  matter,  I  know 
yery  well  that  you're  not."  Then,  as  Hamilton  re- 
garded her  with  a  face  blankly  uncomprehending,  she 

109 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

went  on  rapidly,  with  something  of  the  venomous  in 
her  voice :  "  Sometimes,  I  wish  you  were.  Then,  I'd 
fight  her,  and  beat  her.  It  would  give  me  something 
to  do."  She  paused  for  a  moment,  and  laughed  bit- 
terly. "  Oh,  please,  Charles,  do  fall  in  love  with  some 
other  woman,  won't  you  ?  " 

Hamilton  started  toward  the  telephone  in  the  hall. 

"  It's  the  doctor  you  want,  not  the  automobile,"  he 
called  over  his  shoulder. 

"  Nonsense !  "  Cicily  cried.  "  Stop  !  "  And,  as  he 
turned  back  reluctantly,  she  went  on  with  her  ex- 
planation :  "  No,  it  isn't  the  lure  of  some  siren  in  a 
Paquin  dress  —  or  undress :  it's  the  lure  of  the  game 
—  the  great,  horrid,  hideous  business  game,  which  has 
got  you,  just  as  it's  got  most  of  the  American  hus- 
bands who  are  worth  having.  That's  the  lure  we 
American  women  can't  overcome;  that's  the  rival 
who  is  breaking  our  hearts.  You  are  the  man  of 
business,  Charles  —  I'm  the  woman  out  of  a  job! 
That's  all  there  is  to  it." 

Hamilton  listened  dazedly  to  this  fluent  discourse, 
the  meaning  of  which  was  not  altogether  clear  to  him. 
He  frowned  in  bewilderment,  as  he  again  seated  him- 
self in  the  chair  opposite  his  wife.  He  could  think  of 

110 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

nothing  with  which  to  rebuke  her  diatribe,  save  the 
stock  platitudes  of  a  past  generation,  and  to  these 
necessarily  he  had  immediate  recourse. 

"  You  have  the  home  - —  the  house  —  to  look  out 
for,  Cicily.  That's  a  woman's  work.  What  more 
can  you  wish  ?  " 

"  The  home !  The  house !  "  The  exclamation  was 
eloquent  of  disgust.  "  Ah,  yes,  once  on  a  time,  it 
was  a  woman's  work  —  once  on  a  time !  But,  then, 
you  men  were  dependent  on  us.  Marriage  was  a  real 
partnership.  Nowadays,  what  with  servants  and 
countless  inventions,  so  that  machinery  supplies  the 
work,  the  home  is  a  joke.  The  house  itself  is  an  auto- 
matic machine  that  runs  on  —  buttons,  push-buttons. 
You  men  can  get  along  without  us  just  as  well.  You 
don't  really  depend  on  us  for  anything  in  the  home. 
Your  lives  are  full  up  with  interest;  every  second  is 
occupied.  Our  lives  are  empty.  My  life  is  empty, 
Charles.  I'm  lonely,  and  heart-hungry.  I've  no  am- 
bition to  go  in  for  bridge.  I'm  not  a  gambler  by 
choice.  I  don't  wish  to  follow  society  as  a  vocation. 
I'm  not  eager  even  to  be  a  suffragette.  I  want  to  be 
an  old-fashioned  wife  —  to  do  something  that  counts 
in  my  husband's  life.  I  want  him  to  depend  on  me 

111 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

for  some  things,  always.  I  want  to  be  my  husband's 
partner."  Little  by  little,  while  she  was  speaking, 
the  coldness  passed  from  the  woman's  voice;  in  its 
stead  grew  warmth ;  there  was  passionate  fervor  in  the 
final  plea.  It  moved  Hamilton  to  pity,  although  he 
was  ignorant  as  to  the  means  by  which  he  might  as- 
suage his  wife's  so  great  discontent.  Manlike,  he  at- 
tempted to  overcome  emotion  by  argument. 

"  Cicily,"  he  urged,  "  just  now,  I'm  up  to  my  ears 
and  over  in  work.  They  are  crowding  me  mighty 
hard.  There's  dissatisfaction  at  the  mill  —  danger 
of  a  strike.  Morton  is  heading  a  syndicate  —  a  trust, 
really  —  trying  to  absorb  us.  I'm  fighting  for  my 
very  life  —  my  business  life.  .  .  .  Cicily,  you 
wouldn't  throw  obstacles  in  my  way  now,  would  you  ?  " 

"  Obstacles !     No ;  I  want  to  help  you." 

"In  business?"  Hamilton  queried,  astounded. 
"  You  —  help  me  —  in  business  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  Cicily  answered,  steadily.  "  I  can  do  some- 
thing, I  know."  There  was  intensity  of  purpose  in 
the  glow  of  the  golden  eyes,  as  they  met  those  of  her 
husband ;  there  was  intensity  of  conviction  in  the  tones 
of  her  voice  as  she  uttered  the  assurance.  She  re- 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

alized  that  the  crisis  of  her  ambition  was  very  near  at 
hand. 

"  You  can  do  nothing."  The  man's  blunt  state- 
ment was  uttered  with  a  conviction  as  uncompromis- 
ing as  her  own.  The  egotism  of  it  repelled  the 
woman.  There  was  a  hint  of  menace  in  her  manner, 
as  she  replied: 

"  Take  care,  Charles.     Don't  shut  me  out.     You're 
making  a   plaything  of  me  —  not  a  wife. 
And  I  —  I  won't  be  your  plaything !  " 

"  You  mean  —  ?  " 

"  I  mean,"  went  on  the  wife  relentlessly,  "  that  this 
is  the  most  serious  moment  of  our  married  life.  If 
you  put  me  off  now,  if  you  shut  me  out  of  your  life 
now  —  out  of  your  full  life  —  I  can't  answer  for 
what  will  happen." 

There  followed  a  long  interval  of  silence,  the  while 
husband  and  wife  stared  each  into  the  other's  eyes. 
In  these  moments  of  poignant  emotion,  the  profound 
feeling  of  the  woman  penetrated  the  being  of  the  man, 
reached  his  heart,  and  touched  it  to  sympathy  — 
more:  it  mounted  to  his  brain,  which  it  stimulated  to 
some  measure  of  understanding.  That  understand- 

113 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ing  was  fleeting  enough,  it  was  vague  and  incomplete, 
as  must  always  be  man's  inadequate  knowledge  of 
woman.  But  it  was  dominant  for  the  time  being. 
Under  its  sway,  Hamilton  spoke  in  gracious  yielding, 
almost  gratefully. 

"  Very  well.     You  can  help." 

The  young  wife  sat  silent  for  a  time,  thrilling  with 
the  joy  of  conquest.  The  roses  of  her  cheeks  blos- 
somed again;  the  radiance  of  her  eyes  grew  tender; 
the  scarlet  lips  wreathed  in  their  happiest  curves.  At 
last,  she  rose  swiftly,  and  seated  herself  on  the  arm  of 
her  husband's  chair.  She  wound  her  arms  about  his 
neck,  and  kissed  him  fondly  on  cheek  and  brow  and 
mouth. 

Hamilton  accepted  these  caresses  with  the  pleasure 
of  a  fond  bridegroom  of  a  year,  and,  too,  with  a  cer- 
tain complacency  as  the  tribute  of  gratitude  to  his 
generosity.  But,  when  she  separated  herself  again 
from  his  embrace,  he  was  moved  to  ask  a  question  that 
was  calculated  to  be  somewhat  disconcerting. 

"  What  can  you  do  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  Cicily  answered,  nonchalantly ; 
"but  something.  I  shall  do  something  big!  You 

114 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

see,  you've  done  so  much.  Now,  I  must  do  something, 
too  —  something  big !  " 

"  But  what  have  I  done  ?  "  the  husband  questioned, 
perplexed  anew  by  this  charming  wife  of  many  moods. 

"  What  have  you  done?  "  Cicily  repeated,  joyously. 
"  Why,  you've  made  me  the  happiest  woman  in  the 
world  —  a  partner!  "  Again,  the  rounded  arms  were 
wreathed  about  his  neck ;  her  face  was  hidden  on  his 
shoulder. 

Hamilton's  eyes  were  turned  ceilingward,  as  if  seek- 
ing some  illumination  from  beyond.  He  listened, 
stupid,  bemused,  to  that  word  echoing  wildly  through 
his  brain :  "  Partner !  "  He  understood  fully  at 
last,  and  with  understanding  came  utter  dismay. 
"Partner!  .  Oh,  Lord!" 


116 


CHAPTER  VII 

IN  the  days  that  followed,  Cicily  was  almost  riot- 
ously happy.  The  schemes  that  had  been  formulating 
themselves  dimly  in  her  mind  following  the  altruistic 
suggestion  made  to  her  by  Mrs.  Delancy  now  took 
on  definite  shape  and  became  substantial.  In  view  of 
the  fact  that  her  husband  had  explicitly  brought  her 
into  a  business  partnership  with  himself,  it  occurred 
to  her  that  she  might  well  combine  the  idea  of  making 
other  people  happy  with  practical  uses  in  behalf  of 
business.  To  this  end,  then,  she  devoted  her  intelli- 
gence diligently,  with  the  result  that  she  soon  had 
concrete  plans  of  betterment  for  the  many,  and  these 
of  a  sort  to  redound  directly  to  her  husband's  ad- 
vantage in  a  business  way.  In  brief,  she  conceived 
certain  philanthropic  operations  to  be  carried  out  for 
the  enjoyment  of  her  husband's  employes;  the  effect 
of  such  changes  would  inevitably  be  a  better  under- 
standing between  them  and  their  employer,  and  an  in- 
creased loyalty  and  efficiency  on  the  part  of  the  work- 

116 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ers.  With  this  laudable  purpose,  Cicily,  after  broach- 
ing the  subject  in  detail  to  Hamilton,  who  made  no 
objection,  since  her  helpfulness  was  to  be  operated 
out  of  her  private  fortune,  at  once  busied  herself  with 
the  execution  of  the  pro j  ect.  The  factory  downtown 
was  soon  a-chatter  with  excitement  over  the  startling 
innovations  that  were  under  way.  The  employes 
cursed  or  cheered  according  to  their  natures,  as  they 
learned  of  the  gifts  bestowed  by  the  wife  of  their  em- 
ployer. They  regarded  the  new  bath-tubs  with  won- 
der, albeit  somewhat  doubtfully.  They  discussed  the 
library  with  appreciation,  or  lack  of  appreciation,  ac- 
cording to  their  degrees  of  illiteracy  or  learning:  the 
socialistic  element  condemned  the  inanity  of  the  vol- 
umes selected;  there  were  only  histories,  biographies, 
books  of  travel,  foolish  novels  and  the  like  —  nothing1 
to  teach  the  manner  by  which  the  brotherhood  of  man 
must  be  worked  out. 

In  addition  to  her  activities  for  good  in  this  direc- 
tion, Cicily  added  something  actual  to  her  ideas  in 
reference  to  the  up-lift  of  woman.  She  made  herself 
known  to  the  wives  of  some  of  the  men  who  worked  in 
the  factory,  and  called  on  them  in  their  homes.  She 
invited  them  to  visit  her  in  return,  and  she  matured  a 

117 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

project  to  make  the  Civitas  Society  her  ally  in  this 
noble  work  of  up-lift  and  equalization  in  the  social 
order.  With  such  eager  works,  her  days  were  filled 
full,  and  she  was  glad  in  the  realization  that  it  was, 
indeed,  become  her  splendid  privilege  to  share  in  her 
husband's  broader  life.  .  .  .  She  was  his  —  part- 
ner! 

It  may  be  doubted  if  Hamilton  had  more  than  the 
shadow  of  knowledge  as  to  his  wife's  happiness  in  the 
changed  order.  The  episode,  as  he  deemed  it,  in  which 
she  had  been  given  a  partnership  with  him,  hardly  re- 
mained in  his  memory.  When  he  thought  of  it  at  all, 
he  smiled  over  it  as  over  the  vagary  of  one  among  a 
woman's  innumerable  varying  moods.  But  he  thought 
of  it  very  rarely,  for  his  time  was  absorbed  in  the  des- 
perate struggle  to  find  a  way  out  from  the  destruc- 
tion that  loomed  very  close  at  hand.  In  the  end,  he 
decided  not  to  reject  the  offer  made  by  Morton  in  be- 
half of  the  trust.  Otherwise,  he  would  be  confronted 
by  Carrington's  competition  in  selling  to  the  inde- 
pendent trade  at  a  dead  loss.  But  he  was  determined 
ultimately  to  combat  this  competition  to  the  limit  of 
his  ability  and  capital.  It  was  apparent  to  him  that 
success  would  be  impossible  from  the  outset  unless  he 

118 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

should  reduce  his  operating  expenses  to  the  minimum. 
For  this  reason,  he  planned  to  make  the  cut  in  wage- 
scale  that  had  been  suggested  by  Morton,  although  in 
reality  it  was  to  overcome  the  machinations  of  the 
trust,  not  to  further  them.  He  solaced  his  conscience 
by  reiteration  of  the  truth :  that,  in  the  event  of  win- 
ning, the  reduction  would  have  been  but  a  temporary 
thing ;  whereas,  without  it,  he  must  close  down  the  fac- 
tory immediately.  For  the  sake  of  his  workers,  as 
well  as  for  his  own,  he  was  resolved  to  pursue  the  one 
course  that  offered  a  hope  of  victory. 

Naturally  enough,  the  employes  did  not  under- 
stand or  approve.  When  news  of  the  proposed  cut  in 
the  scale  was  made  known,  there  came  clamor  and 
wrath  and  sorrow.  Meetings  of  the  workers  were 
held,  and  in  due  time  a  committee  of  three  waited  on 
Hamilton  by  appointment  in  the  study  of  his  house 
uptown.  Schmidt,  the  most  garrulous  of  the  three, 
was  a  man  in  the  prime  of  life,  heavily  built,  bald, 
with  a  white  mustache  that  gave  him  a  certain  gro- 
tesque resemblance  to  Bismarck.  The  other  two  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  were  Ferguson,  a  thin,  alert- 
mannered  Yankee  of  forty,  who  spoke  with  a  pro- 
nounced drawl;  and  McMahon,  a  short,  red-headed, 

119 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

shrewd  Irishman,  with  a  face  on  which  shone  a  volatile 
good-humor.  The  three,  on  entering  the  library  and 
being  greeted  by  Hamilton,  found  that  their  employer 
had  fortified  himself  for  the  conference  by  the  pres- 
ence of  Mr.  Delancy,  in  whose  business  judgment  the 
younger  man  had  great  confidence.  The  men  received 
the  pleasant  salutation  of  Hamilton  with  awkward- 
ness, but  without  any  trace  of  shamefacedness,  for 
they  had  the  consciousness  of  their  righteous  cause 
to  give  them  confidence  in  a  strange  environment. 
Hardly  were  they  seated  at  their  host's  request  in 
chairs  facing  him  and  Mr.  Delancy,  when  Schmidt 
bounced  up,  and,  after  squaring  himself  resolutely  in 
a  position  of  advantage  before  the  empty  fireplace, 
proceeded  to  declaim  vigorously  as  to  the  rights  be- 
tween labor  and  capital,  speaking  sonorously,  with  a 
pronounced  German  accent.  After  some  five  minutes 
of  this,  Mr.  Delancy,  who  was  both  nervous  and  ir- 
ritable, as  the  orator  paused  for  breath  at  a  period, 
ventured  to  protest. 

"  Yes,  yes,  man,"  he  exclaimed,  testily.  "  But  I 
don't  care  a  damn  about  Schopenhauer  and  social- 
ism, and  I'm  sure  Mr.  Hamilton  doesn't.  Let's  get 
to  the  wages  paid  in  the  Hamilton  factory." 

120 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Ferguson  came  to  the  support  of  Delancy,  as  did 
McMahon,  who  said  amiably : 

"  Give  the  boss  a  chance,  Smitty." 

Schmidt,  however,  was  inclined  to  be  recalcitrant. 

"  There  was  no  arrangement  yet  to  give  the  boss  a 
chance,"  he  argued. 

"  Just  give  him  a  chance  then  because  he's  a  friend 
of  mine,"  urged  the  Irishman  with  a  grin  of  such  ex- 
ceeding friendliness  toward  the  German  himself  that 
it  was  not  to  be  resisted.  Schmidt  nodded  in  token 
that  the  employer  should  be  allowed  to  speak,  but  he 
retained  his  position  as  a  presiding  officer  before  the 
fireplace. 

Hamilton  forthwith  set  out  to  present  his  side  of 
the  case  to  the  men  before  him. 

"  As  you  know,"  he  said  briskly,  "  I'm  the  owner 
of  the  Hamilton  factory.  I  pay  the  wages.  Now, 
the  Hamilton  factory  has  been  kept  running  through 
good  times  and  through  bad  times  for  more  than 
thirty  years.  Sometimes,  too,  it  has  been  run  at  a 
loss,  without  any  cut  in  the  wage-scale  to  help  the 
owner  in  that  period  of  loss.  Well,  it  seems  to  me 
under  the  circumstances  that  I  have  a  right  to  run 
my  own  business." 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Oh,  certainly !  "  Ferguson  agreed,  languidly. 

But  Schmidt  added  a  correction  to  the  general  con- 
cession. 

"  As  long  as  you  run  it  in  our  way,  and  don't  cut 
wages." 

"  I'm  sorry,  men,"  Hamilton  retorted,  without  any 
avoidance  of  the  issue ;  "  but  that  cut  must  go." 

The  members  of  the  committee  looked  from  one  to 
another,  and  shook  their  heads  dolefully.  They  knew 
too  well  the  hardships  that  would  be  wrought  among 
their  fellows  by  a  ten  per  cent,  cut  the  length  of  the 
scale.  It  was  McMahon  who  spoke  first,  with  his 
usual  air  of  good-nature  in  the  sarcasm,  but  a  note 
of  grimness  underlying  the  surface  pleasantry. 

"  Well,  now,  you  see,"  he  said  in  his  rich  brogue, 
addressing  Ferguson  and  Schmidt,  "  the  boss  has  to 
save  a  mite  to  pay  for  the  new  bath-tubs  and  that 
natty  bit  of  a  gymnasium  and  the  library 'they've  been 
putting  in  lately." 

**  Ach,  Himmel! "  Schmidt  snorted,  disgustedly. 
"  We  will  have  manicures  soon  already !  "  He  stared 
at  his  pudgy  fingers  with  the  work-begrimed  nails, 
and  grinned  sardonically. 

Hamilton  flushed  under  the  taunts. 
122 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  those  improvements," 
he  declared,  in  self -justification.  "  They  are  all 
being  put  in  by  Mrs.  Hamilton  at  her  own  expense. 
She  is  doing  it  to  make  you  men  and  women  there 
more  contented  with  your  lot  —  to  make  you  happy." 

"  To  make  us  happy !  "  Schmidt  grunted.  "  Bath- 
tubs!" 

McMahon's  sense  of  humor  led  him  to  indulge  in 
another  flight  of  pleasantry,  which  shadowed  forth 
the  grim  reality  of  these  lives. 

"  Sure,  but  the  gymnasium  is  great,"  he  said, 
blandly.  His  tone  was  so  deceptive  that  Hamilton 
smiled  in  appreciation  of  the  compliment  to  his  wife's 
undertaking,  and  even  Mr.  Delancy  relaxed  the  harsh 
set  of  his  features.  "  The  longer  you  work  in  it," 
the  Irishman  continued  innocently,  "  outside  of  hours 
of  course,  the  stronger  you  get,  and  the  more  you  can 
do  in  hours  for  the  boss.  .  .  .  Sure,  it's  great !  " 

Hamilton  hastily  changed  the  subject.  He  ex- 
plained that  the  cut  would  not  be  applied  to  the  wages 
of  the  women  in  the  packing-department,  where  a 
hundred  were  employed.  He  declared  frankly  that 
their  pay  was  insufficient  to  stand  such  a  reduc- 
tion. 

123 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  And  do  you  think  we  make  enough  to  stand  it?  " 
Ferguson  exclaimed,  indignantly. 

"  Somebody  has  to  stand  it,"  was  Hamilton's  moody 
retort.  "  You  have  threatened  to  strike,  if  I  make 
this  cut.  Well,  I  am  forced  to  threaten  you  in  turn. 
If  you  won't  accept  the  cut,  I  shall  strike  —  I  must 
strike!" 

Schmidt,  from  his  position  before  the  fireplace,  rose 
on  his  toes  in  high  indignation. 

"  You  strike !  "  he  clamored,  huffily.  "  Who  has 
given  you  that  permission  to  strike?  You  are  no 
union.  Bah ! " 

Hamilton  shrugged  his  shoulders,  wearily. 

"  Listen,  men,"  he  requested.  "  I'll  put  the  facts 
before  you  plainly,  for  I  place  my  whole  confidence  in 
your  loyalty.  You  think,  perhaps,  that  you're  being 
strung  in  this  deal.  Well,  we'll  all  be  strung,  and  hung 
over  the  side  of  the  boat,  too,  unless  we  work  together. 
You  men  are  dissatisfied,  because,  although  you  are 
working  full  time,  you  are  asked  to  take  a  ten  per 
cent.  cut.  The  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  the  factory 
is  not  making  a  cent  of  profit.  I  have  to  make  the 
boxes  for  sale  at  a  loss  now,  on  account  of  the  compe- 
tition of  the  trust  factory,  which  is  trying  to  put  me 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

out  of  business.  I  must  work  at  cost,  or  even  at  a 
loss,  for  a  time.  With  the  ten  per  cent,  cut,  I  can 
keep  going.  Without  it,  I  must  close  down.  As 
soon  as  this  crisis  is  over,  if  I  win  out,  the  old  wage- 
scale  will  be  restored.  I  hope  that  time  will  not  be 
long  away.  I  may  venture  to  tell  you  something  in 
confidence:  I'm  planning  to  take  on  some  side  lines 
—  some  things  in  which  I  hope  to  make  big  money. 
As  soon  as  they're  started,  I'll  give  you  back  the 
present  scale." 

"  Why  don't  your  wife  help  pay  the  wages  ? " 
Schmidt  questioned,  shrewdly.  "  She  has  plenty  of 
money  for  foolishness." 

"  Faith,  and  that  isn't  a  bad  idea  at  all,  at  all,  Mr. 
Hamilton,"  McMahon  agreed.  "  It's  a  better  use  for 
her  money.  Since  she's  been  corning  around  to  the 
house  these  last  few  weeks,  it's  cost  me  a  week's  pay  to 
get  a  hat  for  my  old  woman  in  imitation  of  hers. 
.  .  .  Women  have  no  place  in  business,  I'm  think- 
ing" 

Ferguson  added  his  testimony  to  the  like  effect : 

"  That's  right,"  he  declared.  He  looked  about  for 
a  place  in  which  to  spit  by  way  of  emphasis,  but, 
seeing;  none,  f ofUore.  "  My  girl,  Sadie,  she  put  two 

125 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

dollars  in  false  hair  this  very  week.  Your  wife  is 
sure  making  it  mighty  hard  for  us,  Mr.  Hamilton. 
How  can  I  buy  false  hair  with  a  ten  per  cent,  cut? 
Durned  if  I  can  see ! " 

Again,  Hamilton  was  afflicted  with  embarrassment 
over  the  infelicitous  results  of  his  wife's  benevolent 
activity,  and  again  he  changed  the  subject. 

"  Well,  boys,"  he  said  frankly,  "  I've  put  the  mat- 
ter to  you  straight.  I'm  sorry.  But,  unless  you 
take  the  cut,  I  don't  see  any  future  for  any  of  us. 
.  .  .  It's  up  to  you." 

"  The  men  decide  for  themselves,"  Ferguson  re- 
plied, glumly.  "  We  only  report  back  to  them." 

"  But  you  three  really  decide,"  Hamilton  per- 
sisted. "  Come,  give  me  your  decision  now." 

Ferguson  and  McMahon  regarded  each  other 
doubtfully,  in  silence,  as  if  uncertain  how  to  pro- 
ceed. But  Schmidt  was  not  given  to  hesitation  in  ex- 
pressing himself  on  any  occasion.  He  spoke  now 
with  an  air  of  phlegmatic  determination,  brandish- 
ing his  right  arm  at  the  start : 

"  Well,  speaking  for  myself  only,  I  want  to  say  — 
How  do  you  do,  Mrs.  Hamilton." 


126 


CHAPTER  VIII 

As  Schmidt  concluded  his  oratorical  flourish  in  this 
astonishing  fashion,  the  other  occupants  of  the  room 
turned  amazedly,  to  behold  Cicily  herself,  standing  in 
the  open  doorway  of  the  study. 

The  young  wife  was  a  very  charming,  radiant  vis- 
ion, as  she  rested  there  motionless.  She  was  gowned 
for  the  street,  wearing  that  ravishing  hat  which  had 
been  the  cause  of  McMahon's  undoing,  a  dainty  and 
rather  elaborate  device  in  black  and  red,  and  a  black 
cloth  gown,  short  and  closely  cut,  which  showed  to 
delightful  advantage  the  lissome  curves  of  her  form. 
Beneath,  a  luxurious  chaussure  in  black  showed  the 
inimitable  grace  of  tiny  feet  and  ankles.  Now,  as 
she  regarded  the  company  in  some  astonishment,  the 
perfect  oval  of  her  cheeks  was  broken  by  the  play  of 
dimples  as  she  smiled  a  general  welcome  on  the  men 
before  her.  But  her  attention  was  particularly  ar- 
rested by  Schmidt,  who,  after  his  first  greeting  in 
words,  was  now  bowing  stiffly  from  the  hips,  a  feat 

127 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

of  some  difficulty  by  reason  of  his  girth.  Cicily 
watched  the  formal  performance  with  mingled  emo- 
tions of  amusement  and  alarm.  When,  at  last,  it  was 
successfully  accomplished,  however,  and  the  pudgy 
figure  straightened,  she  recognized  the  socialist,  and 
came  forward. 

"  Why,  it's  Mr.  Schmidt !  "  she  exclaimed,  cordially. 
"  I'm  so  glad  to  see  you !  "  To  this,  the  German  mur- 
mured a  guttural  response,  too  much  overcome  by 
pleasure  for  coherent  speech.  The  new-comer  passed 
on,  and  made  her  greetings  to  Ferguson  and  Mc- 
Mahon  with  the  like  pleasant  hospitality,  shaking 
hands  with  each. 

"  This  is,  indeed,  charming,"  she  exclaimed  heartily. 
"  Did  you  bring  your  wives  along?  " 

Schmidt,  as  usual,  constituted  himself  the  spokes- 
man. 

"  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  he  stated,  with  somber  impres- 
siveness,  "  this  is  business." 

"  Good  gracious ! "  Mrs.  Hamilton  exclaimed,  with 
some  trepidation.  "  I  hope  it's  nothing  that  they 
would  not  approve  of." 

"  Be  easy,"  Ferguson  admonished,  soothingly. 
"  Sure,  it's  only  that  we're  talking  business.  It's  a 

128 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Matter  of  wages.  The  woman  folk  always  approve 
of  them." 

Schmidt  rolled  his  eyes  heavenward  in  despair. 

"  But,  when  we  tell  them  of  the  ten  per  cent,  cut ! 
Ach<,  Himmel!  " 

Cicily  turned  a  startled  glance  on  her  husband. 

"  A  ten  per  cent,  cut !  "  she  exclaimed,  involuntar- 
ily. "  Why,  Charles  !  " 

Hamilton  was  annoyed  by  this  unexpected  irrup- 
tion of  the  feminine  into  the  most  serious  of  business 
discussions  —  the  intrusion  of  the  female  on  the  finan- 
cial. He  spoke  with  distinct  note  of  disapproval  in 
his  voice: 

"  Now,  Cicily,  you  know  nothing  of  this." 

Delancy,  too,  added  the  weight  of  his  accustomed 
authority. 

"  Don't  bother  with  things  that  do  not  concern 
you,  Cicily."  There  was  a  patronizing  quality  in  the 
admonition  that  irritated  the  wife. 

Ferguson  spoke  to  the  same  effect,  but  with  a  radi- 
cally different  motive  underlying  his  words : 

"  Of  course,  it  don't  concern  you,  Mrs.  Hamilton. 
I  guess  you'll  be  glad  to  have  some  more  money  to 
put  in  bath-tubs  and  libraries  and  gymnasiums.  No, 

129 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ma'am,  it  don't  concern  you.  But  it'll  make  some 
difference  to  our  wives  and  daughters,  I'm  thinking 
—  ten  per  cent,  out  of  the  pay-envelope  every  week. 
It'll  take  the  curl  out  of  my  Sadie's  false  hair,  all 
right." 

"  There  will  be  always  some  good  in  everything," 
Schmidt  murmured  cynically,  but  not  loud  enough  for 
the  Yankee  to  hear. 

Cicily  was  aware  of  the  tension  about  her,  and 
(deemed  it  the  part  of  wisdom  to  create  a  diversion. 

"  What  a  coincidence ! "  she  exclaimed,  gayly. 
"  Mrs.  Schmidt  and  Mrs.  Ferguson  and  Mrs.  Mc- 
Mahon  are  all  coming  around  here  this  afternoon. 
I  invited  them  to  attend  a  meeting  of  our  club." 

The  dignified  face  of  Mr.  Delancy,  which  was  that 
of  the  old-school  business  man,  clean-shaven  save  for 
the  white  tufts  of  side-whisker,  was  distorted  by  an 
emotion  of  genuine  horror;  his  pink  cheeks  grew 
scarlet. 

"  Cicily !  "  he  gasped. 

Hamilton,  too,  was  hardly  less  disconcerted,  for  all 
his  familiarity  with  his  wife's  equalization  whimsies. 

"  Invited  them  here?  "  he  questioned,  frowning. 

The  manner  of  both  utterances  was  of  a  sort  that 
130 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

must  inevitably  offend  the  husbands  of  the  women. 
Cicily,  with  the  sensitiveness  of  her  sex,  sought  to 
cover  the  impression  by  speaking  with  a  manner  of 
increased  enthusiasm. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  answered.  "  Isn't  it  good  of  them  ? 
They  have  promised  to  return  my  call  this  afternoon." 

Ferguson  yielded  to  a  Yankee  propensity  for  dry 
humor : 

"  I  only  hope  that  Mr.  Delancy  and  Mr.  Hamilton 
won't  be  too  nice  to  them." 

McMahon,  too,  would  have  made  some  comment; 
but  Hamilton,  who  now  perceived  his  blunder,  which 
might  have  a  disastrous  effect  on  the  attitude  of  these 
men  toward  him,  hastened  to  make  a  diversion  on  his 
own  account. 

"  Now,  men,"  he  said,  as  affably  as  he  could  con- 
trive, "  I've  made  you  acquainted  with  the  difficulties 
and  the  necessities  of  the  situation.  As  I  said  be- 
fore, I  depend  on  your  loyalty.  .  .  .  Will  you 
let  me  hear  from  you  later  in  the  afternoon  to-day  ?  " 

"  You'll  hear  from  us,  all  right,"  the  Yankee  as- 
sured his  employer,  with  significant  emphasis,  before 
Schmidt  had  a  chance  to  speak ;  and  McMahon  nodded 
agreement. 

131 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 
Once  again,  Cicily  strove  to  lighten  the  mood  of  the 


men. 
a 


If  you're  going  away  to  think  something  over, 
be  sure  you  come  back  in  time  to  take  your  wives 
home,  after  they've  joined  the  club.  It's  the  Civitas 
Society,  you  know,  for  the  up-lift  of  women." 

No  sooner  were  the  members  of  the  committee  out 
of  the  room  than  Cicily  turned  anxiously  to  her  hus- 
band. 

"  Oh,  Charles,"  she  exclaimed,  "  tell  me !  It's  not 
true,  is  it,  that  there's  to  be  a  cut  in  wages  at  the 
factory  ?  " 

Hamilton  turned  away  impatiently  from  the  appeal- 
ing face. 

"  Cicily,"  he  said  shortly,  "  Uncle  Jim  and  I  are 
very  busy.  We  have  business  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance to  discuss." 

Delancy,  who  from  long  experience  knew  much  con- 
cerning his  niece's  wilfulness,  now  read  aright  the 
resolute  expression  on  her  face.  He  tugged  nerv- 
ously at  his  tufts  of  whisker,  and  spoke  in  a  tone  of 
resignation : 

"  Oh,  tell  her,  Charles,  and  have  done  with  it. 
.  .  .  Or,  listen,  Cicily.  It's  this  way:  These 

132 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

men  are  getting  more  money  than  they  ought  to  get. 
Charles  can't  make  a  penny  profit,  running  his 
business  this  way.  That's  all  there  is  to  it  —  he's 
got  to  cut  them  ten  per  cent.  I've  advised  it,  my- 
self." 

Cicily's  charming  nose  was  now  distinctly  tip- 
tilted,  whatever  might  be  its  normal  line. 

"  Yes,  I'd  expect  you  to  advise  it,  Uncle  Jim,"  she 
remarked,  dryly.  She  turned  to  her  husband,  ac- 
cusingly. "  But?  Charles,  there  is  no  reason  why  you 
should  follow  his  advice.  Why  didn't  you  ask  me? 
I'm  your  partner.  I  don't  think  you  have  treated  me 
fairly  in  this." 

Hamilton,  overwrought  and  exasperated  by  the  mul- 
tiplication of  his  worries,  began  a  sharp  answer;  but 
it  was  interrupted  by  the  decisiveness  with  which  his 
wife  went  on  speaking: 

"  Charles,  you  have  treated  me  like  a  child,  like  a 
fool.  .  .  .  And  you  said  that  you'd  let  me  help 
jou!" 

This  reproach  appealed  to  Hamilton  as  grossly  un- 
fair. 

"  Why,  Cicily,"  he  exclaimed,  "  I  did  let  you  help. 
I've  let  you  do  everything  that  you  wanted  to  do  — 

133 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

no  matter  how  — "  In  a  sudden  access  of  discre- 
tion, he  choked  back  the  "  foolish." 

Delancy,  presuming  on  the  right  of  criticism  that 
had  been  his  during  the  years  of  guardianship,  spoke 
with  a  candor  that  was  not  flattering. 

"  He  let  you  do  more  than  I'd  have  let  you  do.  He 
let  you  waste  your  money  on  bath-tubs  and  libraries, 
and  such  foolishness,  to  make  the  men  dissatisfied.  I 
wish  somebody  would  tell  me  what  a  man  working  for 
two  dollars  a  day  can  do  with  a  bath-tub  and  a  library 
at  the  works." 

"  If  anybody  were  to  tell  you,  you  wouldn't  listen,'* 
was  Cicily's  pert  retort. 

Delancy  tugged  at  his  wisp  of  whisker,  and  wagged 
his  head  dolefully. 

"  I  don't  know  what  young  women  these  days  are 
coming  to,"  was  his  melancholy  comment. 

"  What  you  men  are  driving  us  to,  you  mean ! " 
Cicily  fairly  snapped.  It  was  difficult  enough  to  man- 
age her  husband,  without  having  her  position  j  eopard- 
ized  by  the  interference  of  this  meddlesome  old  man, 
who  stood  for  that  exclusion  of  her  sex  against  which 
she  was  fighting.  She  went  to  the  chair  in  which 
Ferguson  had  been  sitting,  and  reclined  there  in  a 

134 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

posture  of  graceful  ease  that  was  far  from  expressing 
the  turmoil  of  her  spirit.  As  he  watched  her  move- 
ments, and  studied  the  loveliness  of  her,  with  her 
delicate  face  aglow  and  her  amber  eyes  brilliant  in 
this  mood  of  excitement,  Hamilton  forgot  his  worri- 
ment  for  the  moment  in  uxorious  admiration.  He 
was  smiling  fondly  on  his  wife,  even  as  Delancy  ut- 
tered an  exclamation  of  rebuke  to  him : 

"  And  you're  her  husband !  "  His  emphasis  made  it 
clear  that  a  husband  like  himself  would  have  sup- 
pressed such  insubordination  long  ago. 

"  Well,"  Hamilton  replied  placidly,  and  with  a  hint 
of  amusement  in  his  voice,  "  you  brought  her  up,  you 
know." 

"  I  did  not  —  no  such  thing !  "  the  old  man  splut- 
tered. In  his  indignation,  he  pulled  so  viciously  on 
a  whisker  that  he  winced  from  the  pain,  which  by  no 
means  tended  to  soothe  his  ruffled  temper. 

"  You're  quite  right,  Uncle  Jim,"  Cicily  agreed, 
with  dangerous  sweetness  in  the  musical  voice.  "  Of 
course,  you  never  had  any  time  to  pay  attention  to 
me,  or  to  Aunt  Emma  either,  for  that  matter.  Oh, 
no,  you  were  too  much  absorbed  in  that  horrid  busi- 
ness of  yours.  You  drove  Aunt  Emma  into  working 

135 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

for  the  heathen,  and  incidentally,  you  did  teach  me  one 
thing:  you  taught  me  what  sort  of  a  wife  not  to  be. 
I  learned  from  you  never  to  be  married  after  the 
fashion  in  which  you  and  Aunt  Emma  are  married." 

Delancy  was  not  blest  with  an  overabundant  sense 
of  humor.  Now,  he  forgot  the  general  charge 
against  him  in  shocked  surprise  over  the  final  state- 
ment, which  he  took  literally. 

"  Look  here,  Cicily,"  he  remonstrated.  "  It  took 
twenty-two  minutes  in  the  old  First  Presbyterian 
Church  to  marry  your  Aunt  Emma  and  me.  You 
couldn't  possibly  get  a  more  binding  ceremony." 

Cicily  laughed  disdainfully. 

"  Well,  it's  my  opinion  that  you've  never  been  mar- 
ried at  all,  really,"  she  persisted,  with  a  bantering 
seriousness.  "  You  wouldn't  have  been  really  mar- 
ried if  you  had  spent  two  whole  days  in  the  church." 
Then,  in  answer  to  the  pained  amazement  expressed 
on  her  uncle's  face,  she  continued  succinctly :  "  Yes, 
I  mean  it,  Uncle  Jim.  Aunt  Emma  has  been  second 
wife  ever  since  those  twenty-two  minutes  in  the  old 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  to  which  you  referred  so 
feelingly.  .  .  .  And  she  has  my  sympathy. 
You  married  business  first,  and  Aunt  Emma  after- 

136 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ward.  Business  had  the  first  claim,  and  has  always 
kept  first  place.  That's  why  Aunt  Emma  has  my 
sympathy." 

Delancy  rose  from  his  chair,  greatly  offended,  now 
that  he  perceived  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been 
bamboozled  by  the  wayward  humor  of  his  niece.  He 
moved  toward  the  door  at  a  pace  as  hurried  as  dignity 
would  permit.  There,  he  turned  to  address  his  dis- 
respectful former  ward. 

"  Charles  has  my  sympathy !  "  he  growled ;  and 
stalked  from  the  room. 

"  Don't  forget  that  you  are  coming  to  dinner  on 
Sunday  —  with  your  second  wife !  "  the  irrepressible 
Cicily  called  after  him  impertinently.  But,  if  the  re- 
minder was  heard,  it  was  not  answered;  and  husband 
and  wife  were  left  alone  together. 

Hamilton  would  have  remonstrated  with  his  bride 
over  her  wholly  unnecessary  irritating  of  her  uncle, 
but  he  was  not  given  an  opportunity.  Before  the 
door  was  fairly  shut  behind  her  offended  relation, 
Cicily  took  the  war  into  the  enemy's  camp  by  a  curt 
question : 

"  Now,  Charles,  why  do  you  cut  wages  ?  " 

"  Because  I  have  to,"  was  the  prompt  response. 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  And  why  didn't  you  tell  me  ?  " 

"  Tell  you?  Nonsense !  "  The  man's  tone  was  ex- 
pressive of  extreme  annoyance. 

"  But  I'm  your  partner,"  Cicily  persisted  bravely, 
although  her  heart  sank  under  the  rebuff.  "  You 
yourself  said  that  I  was." 

"  Well,  and  so  you  are,  since  you  want  it  so,"  Ham- 
ilton admitted ;  "  and  you're  attending  to  your  end, 
aren't  you?  " 

"  Yes,  the  little  end,"  Cicily  agreed,  disparagingly. 

At  that,  Hamilton  was  plainly  exasperated. 

"  What  end  did  you  expect  ?  "  he  demanded.  "  I 
tell  you,  Cicily,"  he  continued,  in  the  tone  of  one 
arguing  with  labored  patience  to  convince  a  child  of 
some  truism,  "  that  business  is  too  big,  too  serious,  too 
strong  for  a  woman  like  you,  my  dear." 

"  Yes,  that's  just  the  fear  that  grips  my  heart 
sometimes,  Charles,"  the  wife  admitted.  With  an 
ingenuity  characteristic  of  her  active  intelligence, 
she  had  perceived  a  method  whereby  to  twist  his  words 
to  her  own  purpose.  "  Look  here !  "  she  went  on  in 
a  caressing  voice,  utterly  unlike  the  emphatic  one 
in  which  she  had  spoken  hitherto.  "  Do  you  for  a 
moment  imagine  that  I  really  like  business?  Well, 

138 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

then,  I  don't  —  not  a  little  bit !  For  that  matter, 
hardly  any  woman  does,  I  fancy.  As  to  myself, 
Charles,  I'm  afraid  of  it  —  that's  the  whole  truth. 
I'm  only  in  it  to  watch  it  —  and  you !  " 

The  change  in  her  manner  had  immediate  effect  on 
the  husband.  Again,  he  was  surveying  her  with  eyes 
in  which  admiration  shone.  For  the  ten-thousandth 
time,  he  was  reveling  in  the  beauty  of  that  oval  con- 
tour, in  the  tender  curves  of  the  scarlet  lips. 
But  he  forgot  to  voice  his  thoughts.  Indeed,  what 
need?  He  had  told  her  so  many  times  already! 

"  You  talk  as  if  business  were  a  woman,"  he  said, 
with  a  smile  of  conscious  sex  superiority,  "  and  as  if 
you  were  jealous." 

Cicily  concealed  her  resentment  of  the  patronizing 
manner,  and  replied  with  no  apparent  diminution  in 
her  amiability : 

"  That's  just  it:  I  am  jealous !  " 

"  Good  heavens !  "  Hamilton  cried,  indignantly. 
"  Surely,  you  know  that  I  never  think  twice  of  any 
woman  I  meet  in  business." 

The  wife  smiled  in  high  disdain. 

"  Woman !  "  she  ejaculated,  with  scornful  emphasis. 
"  I'm  not  in  the  least  afraid  of  any  woman  being 

1S9 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

more  to  you  than  I  am,  Charles.     Just  let  one  try !  " 

"  Why,  what  would  you  do  ?  "  Hamilton  inquired, 
curiously. 

The  answer  was  swift  and  vigorous,  pregnant  with 
the  insolent  consciousness  of  power  that  is  the  pre- 
rogative of  a  lovely  woman.  Cicily  leaned  forward 
in  her  chair,  and  the  golden  eyes  darkened  and  flashed. 

"  Why,  I'd  beat  her !  I'd  be  everything  to  you  that 
she  was  —  and  more.  I'd  outdress  her,  I'd  out-talk 
her,  I'd  outwit  her,  I'd  out-think  her.  I'd  play  on 
your  love  and  on  your  masculine  jealousy.  Oh, 
there'd  be  plenty  of  men  to  play  the  play  with  me. 
I'd  be  more  alluring,  more  fascinating,  more  difficult, 
until  I  held  you  safe  again  in  the  hollow  of  my  hand, 
and  then  —  why,  then,  I'd  be  very  much  tempted  to 
throw  you  away !  " 

The  verve  with  which  this  girl-woman  thus  vaunted 
her  skill  in  the  use  of  those  charms  that  dominate  the 
opposite  sex  thrilled  and  fascinated  the  lover,  pierced 
the  reserve  that  possession  had  overcast  on  ardor. 
His  cheeks  flushed,  under  the  provocation  of  the 
glances  with  which  she  marked  the  allurements  of 
which  she  was  the  mistress.  As  she  finished  speaking, 
he  sprang  up  from  his  chair,  caught  her  in  his  arms, 

140 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

and  drew  her  passionately  to  his  breast.  But  Cicily 
avoided  the  kiss  he  would  have  pressed  on  her  lips. 
With  her  mouth  at  his  ear,  she  whispered,  plaintively 
now,  no  longer  boastful,  only  a  timid,  fearing,  jeal- 
ous woman: 

"  Yes,  I  can  fight  a  rival  who  is  a  woman,  Charles, 
and  I  can  win.  But  this  other  rival,  this  fascinating 
monstrous,  evil  goddess  —  ah !  " 

Hamilton  held  his  wife  away  from  him.  by  the  shoul- 
ders, and  regarded  her  in  bewilderment. 

"  Evil  goddess !  "  he  repeated,  half  in  doubt  as  to 
her  meaning. 

"  Surely,  she  must  be  that,"  Cicily  declared,  firmly ; 
"  this  spirit  who  is  the  goddess  of  modern  business, 
whom  I  feel  absorbing  you  day  by  day,  taking  from 
me  more  and  ever  more  of  your  thoughts,  of  your 
heart,  of  your  soul,  changing  you  in  every  vital  way, 
and  doing  it  in  spite  of  all  that  I  can  do,  though  I 
fight  against  her  with  all  my  strength !  Oh,  it's  ter- 
rible, the  hopelessness  of  it  all !  Some  day  all  of  you 
will  be  gone,  forever !  " 

"  Swallowed  up  by  the  evil  spirit  ?  "  Hamilton 
asked,  quizzically,  with  a  smile. 

"  Yes !  "     The  answer  was  given  with  a  seriousness 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

that  rebuked  his  levity  in  the  presence  of  possible  ca- 
tastrophe. 

The  husband  repeated  his  threadbare  argument. 

"  But,  dear,"  he  urged  gently,  "  you  know  that  I 
love  you  just  the  same." 

There  was  a  curious,  cynical  sadness  in  the  wife's 
voice  as  she  replied : 

"Probably,  a  man  under  ether  loves  one  just  the 
same.  But  who  wants  to  be  loved  by  a  man  under 
ether?  " 

"  Cicily,  you  exaggerate ! "  Hamilton  exclaimed. 
He  dropped  his  hands  from  her  shoulders,  and  re- 
seated himself,  while  she  remained  standing  before  him. 
There  was  petulance  in  his  inflection  when  he  spoke 
again :  "  I  have  you,  and  I  have  my  business." 

Cicily  made  a  moue  that  sufficiently  expressed  her 
weariness  of  this  time-worn  fact. 

"  Your  two  loves !  "  she  said,  bitterly.  "  Now,  at 
this  moment,  you  think  that  they're  equal.  Well,  per- 
haps they  are  —  at  this  moment.  Some  day,  the  crisis 
will  come.  Then,  you'll  have  to  choose.  It's  a  new 
triangle,  Charles  —  the  twentieth-century  triangle  in 
America :  the  wife,  the  husband  and  the  business.  But 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

remember:  when  the  choice  comes  for  us,  I  shall  not 

\ 
be  an  Aunt  Emma !  " 

The  manner  of  his  wife,  as  well  as  her  words,  dis- 
turbed the  husband  strangely.  Never  had  she  seemed 
more  appealing  in  her  loveliness,  never  more  daintily 
alluring  to  the  eye  of  a  man ;  yet,  never  had  she  seemed 
to  hold  herself  so  coldly  aloof,  to  be  so  impersonally 
remote.  He  felt  a  longing  to  draw  her  again  into 
the  gentle  trustfulness  of  the  maiden  who  had  gloried 
in  his  love. 

"What  do  you  want  me  to  do,  dear?"  he  ques- 
tioned. "  I  told  you  that  you  could  help  me.  I  let 
you  help." 

Cicily  seated  herself  again  before  she  replied. 
When,  at  last,  she  spoke,  her  voice  was  listless : 

"  Yes ;  you  let  me  spend  some  of  my  own  money  for 
luxuries.  It  seems  that  I  could  have  used  it  to  better 
advantage  in  helping  to  pay  the  men  their  wages,  and 
thus  save  you  from  a  possible  strike." 

"  No,"  was  the  serious  response.  "  At  best,  that 
would  have  been  only  a  makeshift  —  putting  off  the 
evil  day.  No;  this  thing  must  be  fought  out,  once 
for  all.  We  are  running  at  a  loss.  To  take  money 

143 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

from  you  would  be  merely  to  waste  it.  Let  me  tell 
you,  too,  that  there  isn't  a  chance  in  the  world  for 
the  Hamilton  factory  in  the  event  of  a  strike." 

Cicily  seized  on  the  admission  as  favoring  her  side 
of  the  argument. 

"  Then,  you  must  not  cut  the  wages,"  she  declared, 
with  spirit.  "  You  must  fight  Morton  and  Carring- 
ton." 

"  How  can  one  man  fight  the  trust  ?  "  Hamilton 
questioned,  in  return.  "  No,  I'm  caught  between  the 
two  millstones :  Morton,  Carrington,  the  trust,  above ; 
the  men,  labor,  below.  To  live,  I  must  cut  into  the 
men.  That's  business." 

"  Now,  I  know  it  isn't  right,"  Cicily  exclaimed. 
"  Tell  me,"  she  continued,  bending  forward  in  her 
eagerness,  until  he  could  watch  the  beating  pulse  of 
her  round  throat,  "  if  I  were  to  give  you  all  my 
money,  couldn't  you  fight,  and  yet  keep  up  the  wages  ? 
I  have  quite  a  lot,  you  know.  It  was  accumulating, 
uncle  said,  all  the  time  while  I  was  growing  up."  She 
refused  to  be  convinced  by  her  husband's  shake  of  the 
head  in  negation.  "  I've  met  a  lot  of  their  women 
and  children,  in  these  last  few  weeks,  while  I  have 
been  —  playing  at  being  in  business.  None  of  the 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

families  have  any  more  than  enough  for  their  needs  — 
I  know !  Some  of  them  have  barely  that.  A  cut  in 
wages  will  be  something  awful  in  its  effects.  Why, 
Charles,  some  of  the  families  have  six  or  seven  chil- 
dren." 

"  I  know,"  the  harassed  employer  acknowledged, 
with  a  sigh  that  was  almost  a  groan.  "  But,  Cicily, 
my  dear,  unless  there  is  a  cut,  I  shall  be  ruined. 
That  is  the  long  and  the  short  of  the  matter.  Unless 
I  make  the  men  suffer  a  little  now,  the  factory  must 
be  closed  down ;  all  Dad's  work  must  go  for  nothing. 
It's  either  I  or  them.  If  they  don't  take  the  cut  for 
the  time  being,  they'll  soon  be  without  any  wages  at 
all.  Now,  if  you  really  want  to  help  me,  in  a  way 
to  count,  just  do  all  you  possibly  can  to  prevent  a 
strike.  Then,  you'll  be  helping  me,  and,  too,  you'll 
be  helping  them  as  well.  Of  course,  you  understand 
that  I  shall  put  back  the  wages  as  soon  as  ever  I 
can." 

"Good!"  the  wife  cried,  happily.  "I'll  help." 
Despite  her  distress  over  the  situation  as  it  affected 
both  the  workmen  and  her  husband,  she  was  elated 
by  the  fact  that,  at  last,  she  was  wholly  within  her 
husband's  confidence ;  that,  at  last,  she  was  actually  to 

145 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

cooperate  with  him  in  his  business  concerns :  a  practi- 
cal, no  longer  merely  a  theoretical,  partner !  Hamil- 
ton himself  gave  the  cap  to  the  climax  of  her  de- 
light. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  with  a  tender  smile,  "  you're  posi- 
tively in  business,  according  to  your  heart's  desire. 
You're  on  the  inside,  all  ready  to  fight  the  what-do- 
you-call-it." 

But  a  new  thought  had  changed  the  mood  of  the 
impulsive  bride.  Of  a  sudden,  she  sobered,  and  her 
eyes  widened  in  fear. 

"  Yes,"  she  said  slowly,  tremulously ;  "  I'll  help 
you,  Charles,  in  any  way  that  I  can,  for  a  strike 
would  be  too  terrible.  It  would  come  between  you 
and  me." 

Small  wonder  that  Hamilton  was  astounded  by 
this  declaration  on  the  part  of  his  wife.  His  usually 
firm  jaw  relaxed,  dropped;  he  sat  staring  at  the 
fair  woman  opposite  him  with  unrestrained  amaze- 
ment. 

"  How  under  heaven  could  a  strike  at  the  factory 
come  between  you  and  me?  "  he  queried,  at  last. 

The  answer  was  slow  in  coming;  but  it  came,  none 
the  less  —  came  firmly,  unhesitatingly,  unequivocally. 

146 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  If  there  were  to  be  a  strike,  I  could  not  let  those 
women  and  those  children  suffer  without  doing  some- 
thing to  help  them." 

At  this  candid  statement  as  to  what  her  course 
would  be,  the  husband  stiffened  in  his  chair.  His 
expression  grew  severe,  minatory. 

"What?'*"  he  ejaculated,  harshly.  "You'd  use 
your  money  to  help  them?  My  wife  use  her  money 
to  fight  me  ?  "  His  frown  was  savage. 

Cicily  preserved  her  appearance  of  calm  confidence, 
although  she  was  wofully  minded  to  cower  back,  and 
to  cover  her  eyes  from  the  menace  in  his.  She  was 
a  woman  of  strongly  fixed  principles,  however  chi- 
merical her  ideas  in  some  directions,  and  now  her 
conscience  drove  her  on,  when  love  would  have  bade 
her  retreat. 

"  I'd  use  my  money  to  keep  women  and  children 
from  starving  to  death,"  she  said,  in  a  low  voice, 
which  trembled  despite  her  will. 

Hamilton  smothered  an  angry  imprecation.  He 
strove  to  master  his  wrath  as  he  spoke  again,  very 
sternly : 

"  Cicily,  you  are  my  wife.  You  have  said  that 
you  were  my  partner.  As  either,  as  both,  you  have 

147 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

responsibilities  toward  my  welfare  that  must  be  re- 
spected." 

"  I'm  a  woman,  with  responsibilities  as  a  human 
being  first  of  all,"  was  the  undaunted  retort.  "  I 
wouldn't  be  fit  to  be  a  wife,  if  I  were  to  let  women 
and  children  starve  without  trying  to  help." 

"  Nonsense,  Cicily !  "  Hamilton's  anger  was  con- 
trolled now;  but  he  remained  greatly  incensed  over 
this  stubborn  folly  on  his  wife's  part,  as  he  esteemed 
it.  "  Strikers  don't  starve  to  death,  nowadays. 
They  have  benefits  and  funds,  and  all  sorts  of  things, 
to  help  them.  They  don't  even  go  hungry." 

"  Then,  why  do  they  ever  give  in?  "  was  the  perti- 
nent query.  "  I  tell  you  they  do  go  hungry  —  often, 
even  at  the  best  of  times.  I've  been  down  among 
those  people.  I've  seen  them  with  three,  six,  chil- 
dren to  feed  and  clothe,  and  rent  to  pay,  on  two  to 
four  dollars  a  day.  What  chance  have  they  to  save? 
I  tell  you,  if  there's  a  strike,  some  of  them  will  starve, 
and,  if  you  let  them  starve,  Charles,  you  won't  be  my 
husband !  " 

"Cicily!" 

"  I  mean  it."  The  wife  rose  from  her  chair,  went 
148 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  her  husband,  and  kissed  him,  tenderly,  sorrowfully. 
Then,  she  turned  to  leave  the  room. 

But,  before  she  reached  the  door,  Hamilton  spoke 
again,  gravely,  quite  without  anger: 

"  Cicily,  my  dear,"  he  said,  "  I  give  you  credit 
for  being  as  sincere  and  honest  as  you  are  foolish. 
So,  the  only  chance  for  all  of  us  is  that  you  should 
do  your  best  now,  at  once,  to  prevent  an  issue  that 
may  spell  catastrophe  for  all  of  us.  It's  up  to  you 
now,  my  dear  partner,  to  do  your  best  to  win  them, 
to  keep  them  from  striking." 

The  young  wife  paused  in  the  doorway,  and  faced 
her  husband.  There  was  a  trace  of  tears  veiling  the 
radiance  of  the  golden  eyes.  Her  voice  quivered, 
but  the  low  music  of  it  was  very  earnest : 

"  I  will,  Charles  —  I  will  fight  hard  —  my  hard- 
est —  for  my  happiness  and  for  yours !  " 


149 


CHAPTER  IX 

Mas.  SCHMIDT,  Mrs.  McMahon  and  Miss  Sadie 
Ferguson,  whom  Cicily  had  selected  as  the  principal 
beneficiaries  in  her  initial  work  of  up-lift,  arrived  a 
half-hour  before  the  time  set  for  the  meeting  of 
the  Civitas  Society,  and  were  shown  into  the  draw- 
ing-room. Mrs.  Schmidt,  a  thin  wisp  of  faded 
womanhood,  effaced  herself  in  a  remote  corner,  while 
Mrs.  McMahon,  a  brawny  Amazon  with  red,  round 
face  and  shrewdly  twinkling  eyes,  frankly  wandered 
about  the  room,  scrutinizing  the  furnishings  and 
ornaments  and  commenting  on  them  without  restraint. 
Sadie  Ferguson,  on  the  other  hand,  seated  herself 
elegantly  upright  on  an  upholstered  chair,  and  dis- 
ported herself  altogether  after  the  manner  of  heroines 
of  high  degree  as  described  by  her  favorite  Brooklyn 
author.  At  times,  she  stared  intently,  as  some  im- 
pressive thing  strange  to  her  experience  caught  her 
eye;  but  always  she  recalled  her  manners  speedily, 
and  forthwith  relapsed  into  a  languid  indifference 

150 


of  demeanor  such  as  becomes  the  Vere  De  Vere.  The 
trio  had  not  long  to  wait  before  their  hostess  ap- 
peared, and  greeted  them  with  a  genuine  cordiality 
that  put  them  at  their  ease,  as  far  as  ease  was  possi- 
ble in  an  environment  so  novel.  She  was  at  pains 
to  pay  a  compliment  to  the  girl: 

"  Prettier  than  ever,  Sadie ! "  she  exclaimed,  with 
honest  admiration.  And,  in  fact,  the  girl  would 
have  been  charming,  but  for  the  disfiguring  effects 
of  an  over-gaudy  dress  and  an  abominable  hat. 

"  Aw,  quit  yer  kiddin',"  Sadie  answered  coquet- 
tishly,  intensely  pleased  and  quite  forgetting  the 
Vere  De  Vere  manner  in  her  pleasure  over  the  com- 
pliment. An  expression  of  horror  came  in  her  face, 
as  she  realized  her  violent  departure  from  the  ideal; 
and  she  added  stammeringly :  "  I  mean,  you're 
really  too  kind,  my  dear  Mrs.  Hamilton."  Having 
achieved  this,  the  girl  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief. 
She  felt  that  she  had  redeemed  herself  in  the  matter 
of  social  elegance. 

Cicily  smiled  pleasantly  on  Sadie,  then  turned  to 
Mrs.  McMahon,  for  she  was  minded  to  put  these 
women  in  the  best  of  humors,  in  order  thus  to  work 
toward  the  avoidance  of  a  strike  by  means  of  their 

151 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

influence  over  their  husbands.  She  observed  the  hat 
that  had  been  the  cause  of  McMahon's  complaint, 
which  was,  in  truth,  a  riot  of  variegated  ugliness. 
Cicily  believed,  however,  that  in  this  instance  the  end 
must  justify  the  means. 

"  What  a  beautiful  hat ! "  she  cried,  in  a  tone  of 
convincing  sincerity.  She  even  clasped  her  hands  to 
emphasize  her  admiration. 

Mrs.  McMahon  preened  herself,  and  tossed  her 
head;  so  that  feathers  and  flowers  clashed  their  hues 
worse  than  before. 

"It's  nothing  so  much!  It's  just  some  odds  and 
ends  they  threw  together  for  me ! " 

"  Odds  and  ends ! "  Cicily  repeated,  in  a  hushed 
voice ;  and  she  added,  truthfully :  "  I  never  saw 
anything  like  it  in  my  life."  She  purposely  avoided 
directly  addressing  Mrs.  Schmidt,  for  she  was  aware 
of  the  woman's  painful  shyness.  "  It  was  ever  so 
good  of  you  to  come  around  this  afternoon,"  she 
went  on.  "  I'm  going  to  have  some  friends  here  to 
meet  you." 

"  Gentleman  friends  ?  "  Sadie  questioned,  eagerly. 
Her  face  fell  when  Cicily  answered  in  the  negative, 

152 


and  she  could  not  restrain  an  ejaculation  of  disap- 
pointment. 

Mrs.  McMahon  felt  it  incumbent  on  her  to  admin- 
ister a  rebuke  to  the  girl. 

"  What  do  you  care,  Sadie,  so  long  as  they're  Mrs. 
Hamilton's  friends?"  And  she  added  majestically, 
turning  to  her  hostess :  "  Excuse  her,  ma'am." 

At  this  public  correction,  Sadie  flushed  scarlet,  and 
glanced  appealingly  toward  Mrs.  Schmidt. 

"  What  a  nerve !  "  she  commented,  angrily.  Then, 
she  addressed  Mrs.  McMahon  herself.  "  If  you  will 
pardon  me,  Mrs.  McMahon,"  she  said,  very  haughtily, 
"  I  prefer  to  present  my  own  apologies  in  individual 
person."  And,  finally,  she  turned  to  Cicily.  "  Mrs. 
Hamilton,  if  you  consider  my  interrogation  regard- 
ing the  sex  of  your  guests  impertinent,  my  humblest 
apologies  are  at  your  disposal." 

"  And  she  didn't  choke ! "  the  Irishwoman  mur- 
mured, admiringly. 

Cicily  insisted  that  there  was  no  occasion  for  apol- 
ogy, and  afterward  went  on  to  explain  something 
as  to  the  character  and  aims'  of  the  Civitas  Society 
for  the  Uplift  of  Women.  But  here,  at  once,  she 

153 


found  herself  beset  with  unexpected  difficulties.  Mrs. 
McMahon  drew  herself  up  with  all  the  dignity  of  her 
great  bulk,  and  voiced  her  feeling  by  the  tone  in 
which  she  asked: 

"  I  would  like  to  know,  Mrs.  Hamilton,  if  you 
think  we  are  subjects  for  uplifting?  " 

"  Can  you  beat  it !  "  Sadie  cried,  in  outraged  pride. 

Cicily  hastened  to  soothe  her  guests  by  an  explana- 
tion that  was  more  ingenious  than  ingenuous. 

"  You  don't  understand,"  she  remonstrated. 
"  This  is  the  club  I  spoke  to  you  about.  I  want  you 
to  become  members  of  the  society.  We  need  you  to 
help  in  the  work." 

"  You're  on !  "  Sadie  declared,  with  gusto.  Again, 
she  realized  how  she  had  departed  from  her  idols. 
"  I  would  say,"  she  went  on  mincingly,  "  it  will  afford 
me  great  pleasure." 

"  You  mean,  then,"  Mrs.  McMahon  inquired, 
"  that  you've  picked  us  out  to  help  uplift  the  other 
women  ?  "  As  Cicily  nodded  assent,  she  continued, 
condescendingly :  "  Well,  if  I  do  have  to  say  it 
myself,  there's  many  of  them  as  needs  it." 

Presently,  Mrs.  Carrington  and  Mrs.  Morton  were 
shown  into  the  drawing-room,  and  welcomed  by  Cicily, 

154 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

who  insisted  on  introducing  them  to  "  three  other 
earnest  workers."  The  newcomers  submitted  to  the 
introductions  with  obvious  unwillingness,  and  their 
acknowledgments  were  of  the  frigidest. 

"  They,"  Cicily  explained,  with  a  wave  of  her 
hand  toward  the  three,  "  have  had  large  practical 
experience  in  the  work  of  the  club." 

"  Sure,  and  I  have  that,"  Mrs.  McMahon  agreed, 
expansively ;  "  and  so  have  Frieda  and  Sadie  —  in 
a  smaller  way,  of  course." 

Mrs.  Carrington  unbent  so  far  as  to  ejaculate, 
"  Indeed ! "  the  while  she  surveyed  the  speaker 
through  a  lorgnette ;  and  Mrs.  Morton  added  an  un- 
enthusiastic,  "  Really !  " 

Cicily,  who  was  all  anxiety  to  establish  harmonious 
relations  between  the  two  parties  of  her  guests,  since 
so  much  might  depend  on  the  result  of  her  efforts, 
spoke  placatingly  to  the  company: 

"  I'm  sure  you  ladies  will  find  one  another  enter- 
taining." 

"  Oh,  vastly  entertaining,  no  doubt ! "  Mrs.  Mor- 
ton replied;  but  her  tone  was  far  from  satisfactory 
to  the  worried  hostess.  Nor  was  the  manner  of  Mrs. 
McMahon  calculated  to  relieve  the  tension. 

155 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  If  I  live,  I'll  have  the  time  of  my  life ! "  she 
declared,  grimly.  She  turned  to  Mrs.  Morton :  "  Is 
your  husband's  family  any  relation  to  the  Mortons 
of  County  Clare,  if  I  may  make  so  bold  as  to  ask  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  Mrs.  Morton  answered,  with  much  com- 
placency. "  Mr.  Morton  at  present  keeps  up  his 
old  family  estate  in  Ireland." 

"  Sure,  and  that  wouldn't  bust  him,"  Mrs.  Mc- 
Mahon  commented  caustically.  "  I  remember  the 
estate  —  a  bit  of  a  cabin  in  a  bog."  The  Amazon's 
huge  frame  shook  as  she  chuckled.  "  Just  ask  your 
husband :  he'll  remember  me  well.  Sure,  the  last  time 
I  saw  him  was  when  his  aunt,  Nora,  married  Tom 
McMahon,  my  husband's  uncle.  Faith,  it's  cousins 
we  are  by  marriage." 

What  might  have  been  Mrs.  Morton's  attitude  to- 
ward this  suddenly  discovered  kinship  must  remain 
forever  in  doubt;  for,  to  Cicily's  unbounded  relief,  a 
diversion  was  now  offered  by  the  appearance  on  the 
scene  of  Mrs.  Flynn,  Miss  Johnson  and  Ruth  How- 
ard. Once  again,  the  necessary  introductions  were 
made.  Mrs.  Flynn  displayed  astonishment  at  the 
style  of  these  "  ladies,"  but  contrived  a  neutral  man- 
ner that  was  void  of  offense.  Miss  Johnson  was  dis- 

156 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

tant,  but  Ruth  was  honestly  pleased  with  this  oppor- 
tunity for  sisterly  association  for  the  sake  of  uplift, 
and  rolled  her  large  eyes  ecstatically. 

"  These  ladies,"  Cicily  explained  anew,  "  are  the 
members  whom  the  club  has  met  to  consider.  They 
have  had  wide  experience  in  the  great  work  of  helping 
women." 

"  Indeed,  and  you're  right,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  Mrs. 
McMahon  affirmed.  "  Whenever  anything  happens 
on  the  block,  it's  Katy  McMahon  they  send  for. 
Faith,  setting-ups  and  laying-outs  are  my  special- 
ties." 

Mrs.  Carrington  and  Mrs.  Morton  had  withdrawn 
to  a  tete-a-tete  at  some  distance,  where  they  were  en- 
gaged in  a  low-toned  conversation,  punctuated  by 
many  head-shakings.  The  hostess  had  seated  the  new 
arrivals  in  chairs  opposite  Mrs.  McMahon  and  Sadie. 
It  was  evident  by  their  exclamations  that  Mrs.  Flynn 
and  Ruth  were  mystified  and  impressed  by  the  Irish- 
woman's explanation.  But  Miss  Johnson  maintained 
an  air  of  impenetrable  reserve. 

"  Setting-ups ! "  quoth  the  militant  suffragette. 

"  Laying-outs !  "  sighed  Ruth ;  and  she  turned  up 
her  eyes,  with  a  blink  of  inquiry. 

157 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Yes,"  Mrs.  McMahon  went  on,  unctuously ;  "  set- 
ting up  with  the  sick,  and  laying  out  the  dead. 
Faith,  sometimes,  I  have  to  be  nurse  and  undertaker, 
all  in  one." 

"  So,"  Ruth  gushed,  unrolling  her  eyes  with  some 
difficulty,  "  sitting  up  with  the  sick,  and  laying  out 
the  dead,  is  your  great  work !  " 

"  Oh,  not  that  entirely,"  the  Irishwoman  continued, 
"  not  that  entirely !  Of  course,  I  have  to  run  my 
house;  and,  now  and  then,  when  a  family's  too  poor 
to  have  a  doctor,  'tis  myself  that  brings  a  baby  into 
the  world  on  the  side,  so  to  speak.  Having  had  five 
myself,  I'm  quite  familiar  with  the  how  of  it." 

There  came  a  horrified  gasp  from  the  women  lis- 
tening. 

"  Cheese  it !  "  Sadie  whispered,  fiercely.  From  her 
study  of  the  favorite  author,  she  surmised  that  Mrs. 
McMahon  was  wandering  far  afield  from  the  small 
talk  of  a  Clara  Vere  De  Vere.  "  Your  subject  for 
conversation  is  really  positively  shocking  and  dis- 
gusting," she  added,  aloud. 

Cicily  attempted  yet  once  again  to  establish  har- 
mony among  discordant  elements. 

"  Mrs.  McMahon  has  done  so  much  good  in  homes 
158 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

of  suffering,"  she  said  gently,  "  that  she's  rery  direct 
in  her  speech." 

The  good-natured  Irishwoman  herself  chose  to 
make  the  amende  honorable,  but  after  her  own  fash- 
ion. 

"  Sure,  excuse  me,  ladies,"  she  exclaimed,  heartily. 
"  Faith,  I  didn't  mean  to  speak  of  anything  so  un- 
fashionable as  the  bearing  of  children." 

Mrs.  Delancy  and  a  friend  entered  at  this  moment, 
to  the  great  relief  of  Cicily,  who  greeted  her  kins- 
woman warmly,  and  at  once  led  her  toward  Mrs.  Mc- 
Mahon. 

"  Here  is  someone  whom  you  know,  Aunt  Emma," 
she  said,  with  significant  emphasis. 

Mrs.  Delancy,  after  one  look  of  shocked  amaze- 
ment at  the  unwieldy  figure  squeezed  into  a  gilt  chair, 
which  threatened  momently  to  collapse  under  the  un- 
accustomed burden,  recovered  the  poise  of  the  well- 
bred  woman  of  unquestioned  social  position,  and  went 
forward  cordially,  holding  out  her  hand. 

"  Oh,  it's  Mrs.  McMahon ! "  she  exclaimed,  with  a 
pleasant  smile.  "  I'm  delighted  to  have  you  with  us 
in  this  work." 

Under  this  geniality,  all  of  the  Irishwoman's  re- 
159 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

sentment  vanished,  and  she  returned  the  greeting 
warmly. 

"And  how  is  little  Jimmy?"  Mrs.  Delancy  con- 
tinued, returning  to  Mrs.  McMahon,  after  having 
spoken  to  Mrs.  Schmidt  and  Sadie. 

Thus  addressed,  the  maternal  Amazon  displayed 
certain  evidences  of  confusion,  and,  indeed,  seemed 
inclined  to  evade  the  issue,  for  she  replied  after  a  little 
hesitation : 

"  Sure,  ma'am,  Michael  and  Terence  and  Patrick 
and  Katy  and  Nora  are  all  fine." 

"  And  Jimmy  ?  "  Mrs.  Delancy  persisted,  albeit 
somewhat  puzzled  by  the  woman's  manner. 

"  Well,  ma'am,*'  Mrs.  McMahon  made  answer,  with 
an  embarrassment  that  was  a  stranger  to  her  "you 
see,  ma'am,  there's  only  five,  at  present.  .  .  . 
We  haven't  had  Jimmy  yet ! " 

There  came  a  gasping  chorus  from  the  whole  corn- 
pan}-.  Cicily,  who  had  taken  her  position  behind  the 
table  set  for  the  presiding  officer  of  the  Civitas  Club, 
lifted  a  scarlet  face,  as  she  beat  a  tattoo  with  the 
gavel,  and  called  out  bravely: 

"  The  Civitas  Society  will  now  come  to  order !  " 


160 


CHAPTER  X 

THERE  was  a  little  delay  while  the  members  of  the 
club  shifted  positions  in  such  manner  as  to  bring 
them  facing  the  president.  When  this  had  been  ac- 
complished, the  militant  suffragette  at  once  stood  up, 
and  spoke  with  the  aggressive  energy  that  marked 
her  every  act. 

"  I  move  that  we  dispense  with  the  reading  of  the 
minutes  of  the  last  meeting." 

"  Yes,  I  think  we  ought  to,"  Cicily  agreed,  and 
she  smiled  approval  on  Mrs.  Flynn.  "  In  fact,  there 
were  no  minutes." 

But  Mrs.  Carrington  nourished  rancor  against  her 
rival  for  the  presidency,  and  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Flynn 
had  made  a  suggestion  was  reason  enough  why  she 
should  combat  it. 

"  I  think,"  she  remarked  coldly,  getting  to  her 
feet  slowly,  "  that  we  should  certainly  read  the  min- 
utes. It's  most  interesting  to  read  the  minutes." 
She  re-seated  herself,  with  an  air  of  great  impor- 
tance. 

161 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  But,"  Cicily  objected,  "  there  are  no  minutes." 

Mrs.  Carrington  did  not  trouble  to  rise  for  her  re- 
tort: 

"  I  don't  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  the  ques- 
tion at  issue." 

"  Oh,  very  well,  then,"  Cicily  rejoined,  with  one 
of  those  flashes  of  inspiration  that  were  of  such  serv- 
ice  to  her  as  a  presiding  officer,  "  you  read  them 
yourself,  Mrs.  Carrington."  At  this  happy  sugges- 
tion, Mrs.  Carrington  uttered  an  ejaculation,  but 
vouchsafed  nothing  more  precise.  Cicily  waited  for 
a  few  seconds,  then  continued  gaily :  "  Now  that  the 
minutes  are  read,  the  specific  business  before  the 
house  is  the  consideration  of  new  members.  All  work- 
ing clubs  to  be  successful  must  take  in  constantly 
virile,  live  members." 

Mrs.  Morton,  who  had  by  no  means  forgotten 
her  conversation  with  Mrs.  McMahon  and  cherished 
a  distinct  grudge  against  that  excellent  woman, 
voiced  a  caution: 

"  But,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  she  objected,  "  due  care 
should  be  exercised  in  the  selection." 

"  The  club  cannot  be  too  careful,"  Mrs.  Carring- 
ton agreed. 

162 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Mrs.  McMahon  was  fuming  in  her  chair,  evidently 
on  the  edge  of  an  outbreak.  Mrs.  Delancy  saved  the 
situation  by  prompt  action. 

"  I  think,"  she  said,  rising,  "  that,  if  new  members 
are  to  be  voted  on,  they  should  not  be  present  in  the 
meeting  during  the  discussion." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  Cicily  made  decision,  with  a  smile  of 
gratitude  for  her  aunt.  She  nodded  brightly  toward 
the  three  candidates,  and  addressed  them  in  her  most 
winning  voice. 

"  Mrs.  McMahon,  will  you  and  Mrs.  Schmidt 
and  Miss  Ferguson  kindly  await  the  club's  action 
in  the  next  room? "  She  indicated  the  curtained 
archway  that  led  into  the  withdrawing-room  at  the 
back. 

"  Certainly,  ma'am,"  the  Irishwoman  answered, 
with  a  rough  haughtiness  all  her  own.  She  heaved 
herself  up  from  the  gilt  chair,  which  seemed  to  creak 
a  sigh  of  relief;  and  the  trio  went  out  in  the  midst  of 
a  deep  silence. 

Their  departure  set  free  a  babel  of  chatter,  a  great 
part  of  it  addressed  in  personal  remonstrance  to  the 
presiding  officer.  Cicily  lost  patience,  and  called  out 
sharply,  with  the  authority  of  her  office: 

163 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Any  member  addressing  the  chair  will  please  fal- 
low the  usual  parliamentary  procedure !  " 

Mrs.  Carrington  was  the  first  to  take  advantage  of 
the  formal  method.  Sitting  elegantly  in  her  place, 
she  spoke: 

"  Madam  Chairman,  I  rise  to  a  point  of  order." 

"  Very  well,  then,  Mrs.  Carrington,"  Cicily  re- 
joined, with  her  most  official  manner,  "  please 
rise." 

The  outraged  member  bounced  to  her  feet  with  an 
alacrity  that  was  not  her  habit.  It  was  evident  that 
the  lady  was  angry. 

"  Really,"  she  declared  in  an  acid  voice,  "  I  never 
in  my  whole  life  — " 

"  What  was  your  point  of  order?  "  Cicily  inter- 
rupted, blandly. 

"  Why,  well  —  well  —  that  is,  I've  forgotten  it 
now.  But  it  was  very  big !  " 

The  presiding  officer's  sense  of  humor  ran  away 
with  her  discretion. 

"  The  chair,"  she  announced  gravely,  "  regrets  ex- 
ceedingly that  the  member  found  her  point  of  order 
too  big  to  raise." 

It  was  Mrs.  Delancy  who,  after  her  usual  fashion, 
164 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

strove  to  restore  peace,  as  Mrs.   Carrington   indig- 
nantly settled  back  into  her  chair: 

"  Madam  Chairman,  if  this  meeting  is  called  to 
consider  the  election  of  new  members,  I  would  like  to 
nominate  Mrs.  McMahon,  Mrs.  Schmidt  and  Miss 
Ferguson." 

Ruth  now  made  display  of  her  customary  need  for 
information.  She  turned  her  large  eyes  on  the  pre- 
siding officer,  and  inquired  plaintively: 

"  How  do  you  elect  new  members  ?  " 

Cicily  explained  with  an  air  of  patient  toleration. 

"  They  must  first  be  nominated,  my  dear,  and  then 
be  seconded.  You  have  a  chance  of  performing  a 
valuable  service  to  the  club  now,  Ruth,  by  seconding 
the  nominations  already  made." 

"  Oh,  have  I  ?  "  the  girl  demanded,  animatedly,  evi- 
dently pleased  by  this  unexpected  opportunity  of 
fulfilling  her  ideals.  "  Well,  then,  I  second  them  — 
yes,  every  one  of  them ! " 

"  It  is  moved  and  seconded,"  Cicily  stated  briskly, 
"  that  Mrs.  McMahon,  Mrs.  Schmidt  and  Miss  Sadie 
Ferguson  be  elected  as  members  of  the  Civitas  Society 
for  the  Uplift  of  Women  and  the  Spread  of  Social 
Equality  among  the  Masses." 

165 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

The  militant  suffragette  was  on  her  feet  before 
the  presiding  officer  had  finished  speaking. 

"  Madam  Chairman,"  she  announced  in  her  reso- 
nant voice,  "  I  rise  on  a  question  of  rules." 

"  But  there  is  a  question  before  the  house,"  Cicily 
protested. 

"  I  am  exceedingly  sorry  to  antagonize  the  chair," 
Mrs.  Flynn  maintained  resolutely,  "  but,  since  my 
late  lamentable  experience  in  this  club,  I  have  made 
it  a  point  to  look  up  the  matter  of  parliamentary  law 
as  exercised  in  America."  By  way  of  verification, 
she  held  aloft  a  formidable-appearing,  fat  volume. 
"  Now,  I  would  like  to  know  whether  members  are 
elected  to  this  club  by  a  plurality  of  votes,  or  by  a 
two-thirds  majority,  or  whether  or  no  a  single  ad- 
verse vote  can  keep  out  a  candidate  from  the  privi- 
leges of  the  club." 

"  A  plurality  is  quite  sufficient,  Mrs.  Flynn,  I  as- 
sure you,"  Cicily  decided  without  the  slightest  hesita- 
tion, despite  the  fact  that  her  knowledge  as  to  the 
difference,  if  any,  between  plurality  and  majority 
was  of  the  vaguest.  "  Now,  all  in  favor  of  the  candi- 
dates, please  — " 

Once  again,  her  purpose  was  frustrated  by  the  suf- 
166 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

fragette,  who  had  been  busily  consulting  the  formida- 
ble volume. 

"  A  moment,  Madam  Chairman,"  she  demanded, 
peremptorily.  "  This  American  book  on  parlia- 
mentary law  says  that  the  club  has  the  right  to  decide 
how  new  members  are  to  be  elected.  Therefore,  I 
move  that  these  elections  be  as  the  elections  in  Eng- 
land, made  by  secret  voting,  and  that  three  black 
balls  be  sufficient  to  defeat  any  candidate  in  her  can- 
didacy." 

"  I  second  the  motion,"  Miss  Johnson  called  out, 
rallying  to  the  support  of  Mrs.  Flynn  as  on  a  former 
occasion,  because  she  believed  that  such  action  would 
tend  toward  the  annoyance  of  her  dear  friends,  Mrs. 
Carrington  and  Cicily. 

Cicily  forthwith  offered  the  motion  to  a  vote,  and 
it  was  carried,  although  Mrs.  Carrington,  Mrs.  Mor- 
ton and  Mrs.  Delancy  voted  against  it.  Immediately, 
Mrs.  Flynn  brought  to  view  from  a  mysterious  pocket 
a  small  black  box  of  wood. 

"  I  have  here,"  she  explained  impressively,  "  the 
voting-box  used  in  our  club  in  England.  I'm  very 
sorry  we  did  not  have  it  on  the  occasion  of  the  elec- 
tion of  the  president  at  the  last  session  of  this  club. 

167 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

,1  have  no  doubt  that  the  issue  would  have  been  quite 
otherwise.  Yet,  I  hope  that  no  one  will  misunder- 
stand my  position.  It  is  merely  my  tendency  toward 
the  strong  upholding  of  constitutional  rights  as  op- 
posed unalterably  and  forever  to  tyranny  and  the 
forces  of  disorder  and  anarchy.  Naturally,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  ultimate  election  of  one  at 
least  of  the  candidates  in  this  particular  instance,  in- 
asmuch as  that  particular  candidate  is  the  relation 
of  a  member  of  the  Civitas  Society." 

Mrs.  Morton  flounced  out  of  her  seat,  with  an 
agility  that  showed  her  full  appreciation  of  the 
thrust. 

"  It  is  unconstitutional  for  one  club-member  to  in- 
sult a  fellow  club-member,"  she  cried,  in  a  rage. 
"  And,  anyhow,  I  wish  to  deny  that  statement.  I'm 
not  a  relation  —  I'm  not,  I'm  not !  " 

"  Pardon  me,"  the  militant  suffragette  declared, 
belligerently.  Her  narrow,  sallow  face  was  set;  the 
lust  of  battle  shone  in  her  snapping  eyes.  "  I  know 
that  in  Ireland  the  Mortons  and  the  McMahons  are 
close  relatives.  Being  an  Englishwoman,  I  naturally 
know  all  about  it." 

Cicily  deemed  this  a  fitting  time  for  the  exercise 
168 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

of  her  prerogative  as  presiding  officer,  and  rapped 
violently  on  the  table  with  the  gavel. 

"Order!  Order!"  she  commanded  Then,  she 
beamed  approvingly  on  Mrs.  Flynn. 

"  Will  you  carry  the  box  around,  Mrs.  Flynn, 
please  ?  "  she  requested. 

The  suffragette  courteously  acquiesced,  and,  as  a 
formal  return  to  the  chair  for  the  honor  bestowed  on 
her,  first  presented  the  box  to  Cicily,  who  under  in- 
structions as  to  the  manner  of  operation  dropped  a 
white  ball  into  the  receptacle,  after  exhibiting  it  os- 
tentatiously so  that  all  the  company  could  see.  Next, 
Mrs.  Flynn  offered  the  box  to  Mrs.  Morton,  who  se- 
lected a  black  ball,  and  permitted  all  who  would  to 
observe  the  color  before  her  vote  was  concealed  within 
the  box. 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  your  triumph  over  natural 
family  affection,"  the  presiding  officer  remarked,  bit- 
terly. 

In  turn,  the  box  was  presented  to  each  of  the  mem- 
bers present.  This  task  accomplished,  Mrs.  Flynn, 
at  the  request  of  Cicily,  set  herself  to  counting  the 
votes,  while  the  idle  ladies  discussed  the  exciting 
events  of  the  session  with  great  animation.  Pres- 

169 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ently,  the  teller  looked  up,  and  addressed  the  chair. 

"  Madam  Chairman,"  she  announced  in  a  business- 
like tone,  "  the  vote  stands  eight  to  two." 

At  this  statement,  the  presiding  officer  clapped  her 
hands  merrily,  in  a  manner  more  joyous  than  dig- 
nified. 

"  Good ! "  she  cried,  and  her  dainty  smile  was  all- 
embracing,  as  her  happy  eyes  roved  over  the  assem- 
bly. "Then,  they're  all  elected,  after  all.  It's 
great!  Oh,  I  thank  you!  I  knew  our  club  would 
vindicate  itself.  I  knew  that  you  would  live  up  to 
our  motto  —  whatever  it  is.  I  knew  that  you  were 
too  big  to  let  social  prejudices  stand  in  the  way  of  the 
progress  of  real  womanhood.  I  knew  that  we  were 
actually  a  live  club,  come  together  with  a  genuine  aim 
to  do  real  good.  I  can  see  now  that  we  are  going  to 
accomplish  something  worth  while.  We  are  not 
going  to  be  merely  a  set  of  empty-headed,  silly  women 
with  nothing  to  do.  Oh,  I  tell  you  that  I  have  some 
great  plans,  now  that  at  last  we  are  really  started 
out  right.  Now,  we  can  outline  our  plans  of  work 
among  women  less  fortunate  than  we  ourselves.  We 
can  find  places  for  them,  we  can  lead  them  on  to  bet- 
ter things,  we  can  teach  them  our  own  doctrine  of 

170 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

living  for  others,  our  own  principle  of  making  other 
people  happy."  The  young  wife  had  spoken  with 
an  ever  increasing  enthusiasm.  Her  eyes  were  spar- 
kling ;  her  voice  deepened  musically ;  the  color  glowed 
brightly  in  her  cheeks ;  her  slender  form  was  held 
proudly  erect  in  the  tense  eagerness  of  an  exalted  sin- 
cerity of  purpose.  The  other  women  listened  won- 
deringly  at  first;  but,  little  by  little,  the  eloquent 
vehemence  of  their  president  moved  them  to  sympa- 
thetic excitement,  so  that  they  nodded  and  smiled  as- 
sent to  the  speaker's  lofty  sentiments. 

Only  Mrs.  Flynn  seemed  entirely  unaffected  by  the 
oratorical  outburst.  Now,  when  the  speech  came  to 
a  close,  that  militant  suffragette  again  addressed  the 
chair. 

"  Madam  Chairman/'  she  said  with  brutal  direct- 
ness, "  the  vote  stands  eight  to  two.  There  are  two 
white  balls,  and  eight  black  balls." 

At  this  shocking  revelation  of  the  fact,  Cicily 
stared  dazedly  for  a  moment;  then,  an  expression  of 
bleak  disappointment  stole  over  her  features.  She 
uttered  a  sound  of  dismay,  which  was  almost  a  moan, 
and  the  color  fled  from  her  face. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  —  can't  believe  it !  "  she  cried,  with 
171 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

sudden  fierceness.  With  the  words,  she  snatched  up 
the  box,  which  Mrs.  Fljnn  had  deposited  on  the 
table,  and  poured  out  the  balls.  She  stared  at  them 
affrightedly  for  a  moment.  There  could  be  no  mis- 
take: They  were  two  white  and  eight  black!  Cicily 
regarded  the  incontrovertible  evidence  of  defeat  for 
a  minute  with  dilated  eyes.  Then,  abruptly,  she 
laughed  hardily,  straightened  up  from  her  scrutiny 
of  the  balls,  and  gazed  wrathfully  out  upon  her  fel- 
low club-members.  When  she  spoke,  her  tone  was 
of  ice.  Her  utterance  was  made  with  the  utmost  of 
deliberation. 

"  So,"  she  said,  while  her  amber  eyes  flashed  fire, 
"  you  are  a  set  of  empty-headed,  silly  women  with 
nothing  to  do,  after  all !  " 

"  Cicily ! "  Mrs.  Delancy  exclaimed,  aghast,  while 
the  others  could  only  gasp  in  horror  before  this  un- 
paralleled vituperation. 

"  I  mean  it  —  every  word  of  it !  "  Cicily  repeated, 
hotly.  But  the  impetuosity  of  her  mood  was  checked 
as  she  beheld  the  general  consternation  consequent  on 
her  attack ;  for  now  all  the  others  were  on  their  feet, 
moving  hurriedly  and  muttering  excitedly. 

"  I  suppose  this  is  parliamentary  law  as  it  is  un- 
172 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

derstood  in  America,"  the  militant  suffragette  made 
sarcastic  comment,  in  a  shrill  voice.  "  I  prefer  the 
English  fashion  of  doing  things,  for  my  part." 

Cicily  realized,  with  an  increase  of  misery,  how  in- 
tolerable had  been  her  conduct.  With  that  swift 
changefulness  that  was  distinctive  of  her  nature,  she 
sought  to  make  amends  as  best  she  could,  although 
she  understood  that  the  task  was  well-nigh  a  hopeless 
one. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  she  said,  with  as  much  hu- 
mility as  she  could  summon.  "  But,  oh,  you  don't 
know  what  you  are  doing.  You  can't  know !  Don't 
you  realize  that  you  are  spoiling  our  one  chance  for 
doing  good  —  spoiling  our  chance  to  make  this  a 
genuine  club  to  help  women  actually,  not  just  merely 
making  a  joke  by  pretending?  " 

Mrs.  Morton  voiced  the  general  sentiment  of  dis- 
agreement succinctly: 

"  I  fail  to  see  how  association  with  such  persons 
could  be  anything  but  distasteful,  even  disgusting." 

"  Exactly !  "  Mrs.  Carrington  agreed. 

"  Such  women  have  their  own  clubs,"  Miss  Johnson 
pointed  out  for  the  enlightenment  of  the  presiding 
officer.  She  was  very  happy  over  her  dear  Cicily's 

173 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

discomfiture.  "  How  can  they  help  in  any  really 
great  work?  Let  them  work  among  the  creatures  of 
their  own  class.  We,"  she  concluded  loftily,  "  have 
our  ideals." 

"  My  ideal,"  the  president  retorted  bitterly,  "  is  to 
do  something  —  not  merely  to  talk  about  it.  Not 
one  of  you,"  she  continued,  waxing  wroth  again, 
"  has  ever  done  any  real  good,  has  ever  put  herself 
out  to  be  of  service  to  others,  has  ever  really  done 
anything  for  anybody  else  —  not  one  of  you !  " 

"  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  Mrs.  Morton  protested  indig- 
nantly, "  I  cannot  permit  such  a  statement.  I  for 
one  send  my  check  to  the  Charity  Organization  every 
Christmas,  without  fail."  Others,  too,  boasted  of 
their  philanthropies,  always  exercised  through  some 
most  respectable  medium.  As  the  clamor  of  rebuke 
died  away,  Cicily  ventured  one  more  plea: 

"  Then,  won't  you  do  this  for  me  ?  "  she  asked. 
"  I,  as  your  president,  ask  that  you  elect  these  women. 
Let  them  in,  to  help  me  in  doing  the  hard  work. 
You  needn't  do  anything,  but  just  belong  and  take 
the  credit.  I  am  under  obligations  to  these  persons. 
I  promised  them  election  to  the  club.  I  know  now 
that  I  had  no  right  to  do  so,  but  I  did.  I  am  sorry 

174 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

that  I  was  so  hasty  in  the  matter.  But  won't  you 
make  my  word  good  in  this  one  case  ?  "  The  musical 
voice  was  tenderly  persuasive.  Some  of  those  who 
listened  yielded  to  the  spell  of  it  and  the  winning 
radiance  of  the  amber  eyes.  But  Mrs.  Flynn  was  not 
of  these. 

"  There's  nothing  in  this  book  of  American  par- 
liamentary law  that  says  the  president  has  a  right  to 
promise  anything  binding  on  the  club.  I  move  that 
the  president  consider  herself  rebuked  for  exceeding 
her  authority." 

"  Ruth,  there's  another  chance  to.  second  some- 
thing," Cicily  suggested,  ironically. 

The  maiden  of  the  large  eyes  was  pleased  and 
flattered  by  the  suggestion,  which  she  accepted  in  all 
seriousness. 

"  Really  ?  "  she  exclaimed,  and  turned  her  gaze 
aloft.  "  Oh,  then,  I  second  it  —  I  second  it,  of 
course ! " 

"  It  is  moved  and  seconded,"  Cicily  declared  list- 
lessly, "  that  the  president  be  rebuked  for  trying  to 
be  of  some  genuine  use  to  herself  and  to  her  fellow 
women.  All  in  favor  of  the  motion  will  please  say 


ay." 


175 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

The  form  in  which  the  president  had  stated  the 
motion  was  not  satisfactory  to  most  of  the  members, 
who  preserved  a  silence  of  indecision,  with  the  single 
exception  of  Ruth,  who  uttered  an  enthusiastic  af- 
firmative vote,  as  a  matter  of  course,  only  to  shrink 
back  perplexedly  when  she  found  angry  eyes  focused 
on  her  from  every  side.  But  Cicily  nonchalantly  an- 
nounced the  motion  as  having  been  carried,  without 
troubling  to  call  for  the  contrary  vote. 

"  Ladies,"  she  said,  "  the  president  accepts  the  re- 
buke; and  she  also  resigns  from  her  office  and  from 
the  club.  She  is  done  with  you,  with  all  of  you,  and 
with  your  pitiful  joke  of  a  club." 

She  stood  serenely  defiant,  while  the  company  of 
babbling,  head-tossing  women  hastened  forth  from 
the  drawing-room,  until  only  Mrs.  Delancy  remained. 


176 


CHAPTER  XI 

FOB.  a  few  moments  after  the  passing  of  the  Civitas 
Society,  Cicily  remained  in  her  place,  motionless, 
tense,  her  face  whitely  set.  Then,  of  a  sudden,  the 
rigidity  of  her  pose  relaxed.  She  moved  swiftly  to 
where  her  aunt  was  sitting,  dropped  to  her  knees,  and 
buried  her  face  in  the  old  lady's  lap.  The  dainty 
form  was  shaken  by  a  storm  of  sobs.  .  .  .  Mrs. 
Delancy,  wise  from  years,  attempted  no  word  of  com- 
fort for  the  time  being  —  only  stroked  the  shining 
brown  tresses  softly,  and  patted  a  shoulder  tenderly. 
So,  the  girl,  for  now  she  was  no  more  than  that,  wept 
out  the  first  fury  of  her  grief  in  this  comforting, 
sheltering  presence,  as  so  often  she  had  done  in  the 
years  before  marriage  claimed  her.  Little  by  little, 
the  fierceness  of  her  emotion  was  worn  out,  until  at 
last  she  was  able  to  raise  a  sorrow-stricken  face,  in 
which  the  clear  gold  of  the  eyes  still  shone  beautiful, 
though  dimmed,  through  the  veil  of  tears.  The  scar- 
let lips  were  tremulous,  and  the  notes  of  the  musical 
voice  came  brokenly  as  she  spoke  her  despair. 

177 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Pve  ruined  him ! "  came  the  hopeless  wail. 

Mrs.  Delancy  misunderstood  the  final  pronoun,  for 
the  articulation  of  the  girl,  clogged  by  feeling,  was 
none  too  distinct. 

"Pooh!"  she  ejaculated,  cheerfully.  "For  my 
part,  I  think  you're  well  rid  of  them." 

"  But  you  don't  understand,"  Cicily  almost  moaned. 
"It's  him  —  him!  I've  ruined  him,  I  tell  you." 

This  time,  Mrs.  Delancy  understood  the  pronoun, 
but  she  understood  nothing  beyond  that. 

"  Ruined  him?  "  she  repeated,  wholly  at  a  loss. 
"  Whom  have  you  ruined,  Cicily  ?  What  do  you 
mean  ?  " 

Then,  the  young  wife  poured  forth  the  tale  of  the 
disaster  she  had  all  unwittingly  wrought  in  the  af- 
fairs of  her  husband.  She  explained  her  high  hopes 
of  saving  a  dangerous  situation  by  means  of  her  own 
influence  over  the  women,  who,  in  turn,  controlled 
the  leaders  among  the  workmen  in  the  factory.  Cicily 
was  painfully  aware  of  the  mischief  that  must  result 
from  the  refusal  of  the  Civitas  Society  to  welcome 
into  its  sacred  circle  the  three  candidates  whom  she 

* 

had  proposed.     She  knew  the  sensitiveness  of  these 
women,  knew  that  they  would  bitterly  resent  the  slight 

178 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

thus  put  upon  them.  Where  she  had  meant  to  bind 
their  friendship  for  her,  she  had  succeeded  only  in 
creating  a  situation  by  which  they  might  well  come 
to  detest  her  for  having  subjected  them  to  needless 
humiliation.  With  their  hostility  aroused  against 
her,  they  would  throw  their  influence,  which  she  be- 
lieved dominant,  to  persuade  the  men  against  any 
concessions  in  favor  of  their  employer.  With  a  full 
perception  of  the  catastrophe  in  which  she  had  so 
innocently  become  involved,  the  wife  hurriedly  re- 
counted the  facts  to  her  aunt,  bewailing  the  evil  des- 
tiny that  had  worked  such  dire  havoc  with  her  schemes 
for  good. 

"  Well,  you  did  what  you  could,"  Mrs.  Delancy 
suggested  consolingly,  when  at  last  the  melancholy 
recital  was  ended. 

"  And  I  failed ! "  came  the  retort,  in  a  voice  of 
misery. 

Certain  utterances  of  the  girl  on  a  former  occa- 
sion had  rankled  in  the  bosom  of  the  old  lady,  per- 
haps because  she  perceived  a  certain  element  of  jus- 
tice in  them,  and  by  so  much  a  measure  of  dereliction 
on  her  own  part  in  the  regulating  of  affairs  between 
herself  and  her  husband.  Now,  despite  the  kindli- 

179 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ness  of  her  nature  and  her  real  sympathy  for  the 
suffering  of  the  niece  who  knelt  at  her  knees,  she 
could  not  forbear  a  mild  reproof: 

"  Well,  Cicily,"  she  said  gently,  "  it  all  comes  of  a 
woman  fooling  with  business.  Why,  if  you'd  only 
been  content  to  work  for  the  heathen  — " 

"I've  just  finished  with  the  heathen!"  was  the 
quick  interruption. 

"  Well,  my  dear,"  Mrs.  Delancy  commented  drily, 
"  if  you'd  only  work  for  the  far-off  heathen,  you'd 
find  it  much  more  satisfactory.  You  might  not  do 
any  good,  to  be  sure;  but,  anyhow,  the  bad  results 
wouldn't  affect  you." 

Cicily  got  to  her  feet  without  making  any  reply, 
and  went  to  the  mirror  at  one  end  of  the  drawing- 
room.  There,  she  busied  herself  after  the  feminine 
fashion  with  concealing  the  more  apparent  ravages 
made  by  her  weeping.  When  she  came  back  to  face 
her  aunt  again,  she  was  her  usual  charming  self,  save 
for  a  lack  of  color  in  her  cheeks,  and  a  portentous 
gravity  in  the  drooping  of  the  mouth.  .  .  . 
Happily,  she  was  not  of  the  majority,  whose  noses 
bloom  redly  when  watered  with  tears. 

180 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  And  now,"  she  said,  desolately,  "  I've  got  to  tell 
them !  "  She  nodded  toward  the  withdrawing-room, 
where  the  three  candidates  were  waiting;  and  Mrs. 
Delancy  understood. 

"  Why  don't  you  write  it  to  them  ?  "  she  advised. 
"  Whenever  I  have  anything  uncomfortable  to  tell 
anyone,  I  always  write  it.  Then,  I  let  your  Uncle 
Jim  read  the  reply.  .  .  .  It's  so  much  more  sat- 
isfactory that  way,  and,  you  know,  he  can  say  right 
out  what  I  don't  dare  even  to  think." 

But  Cicily  had  courage  and  a  conscience.  She 
felt  that  she  must  not  shirk  the  consequences  to  her- 
self of  her  own  indiscretion. 

"  No,  I'll  tell  them,"  she  declared  resolutely ;  but 
her  heart  was  sick  within  her  at  contemplation  of  the 
scene  that  waited. 

Fortunately,  perhaps,  small  time  was  given  Cicily 
for  dread  anticipations.  Hardly  had  she  ceased 
speaking  when  the  door  into  the  withdrawing-room 
was  cautiously  opened,  and  the  face  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Mahon  was  made  visible  to  the  two  women  who  had 
faced  about  at  sound  of  the  knob  turning.  On  per- 
ceiving that  the  room  was  empty  save  for  the  hostess 

181 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

and  Mrs.  Delancy,  the  Irishwoman  threw  the  door 
wide,  and  came  forward. 

"  Faith,  it  was  so  quiet  I  was  sure  they'd  gone," 
she  announced,  with  manifest  pride  in  her  deductive 
powers.  There  was,  too,  a  general  air  of  elation  in 
the  woman's  manner  of  carriage  that  struck  a  chill  to 
Cicily's  heart.  And  the  cold  of  it  deepened  as  Mrs. 
Schmidt  and  Sadie  Ferguson  followed  into  the  draw- 
ing-room, each  evidently  in  a  state  of  exaltation. 
The  three  ranged  themselves  in  rude  dignity  before 
their  hostess.  Mrs.  McMahon  constituted  herself 
the  spokeswoman. 

"  Well,"  she  inquired  genially,  "  now  that  we're 
members  of  the  club,  what  is  it  you'd  be  after  having 
us  to  do?" 

An  interval  of  silence  followed,  under  the  influence 
of  which  the  three  waiting  candidates  seemed  visibly 
to  droop,  as  if  by  a  subtle  instinct  they  began  to  ap- 
prehend misfortune.  When,  finally,  Cicily  spoke,  it 
was  in  a  colorless  voice: 

"  I'm  afraid  there  is  nothing  that  any  of  us  can 
do,  now."  The  three  started,  and  exchanged  glances 
in  which  was  dawning  alarm.  "  I  mean,"  the  un- 
happy hostess  went  on,  making  her  confession  of 

182 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

failure  by  a  mighty  effort  of  will,  "  that  —  that  the 
election  did  not  go  as  I  had  expected  it  to." 

Again,  there  was  a  painful  silence,  in  which  Sadie 
fidgeted  and  Mrs.  Schmidt  seemed  to  grow  more 
shrunken  and  faded  than  before.  Mrs.  McMahon 
alone  stood  unmovingly  erect,  stiffly  pugnacious  on 
the  instant. 

"  So,  that's  it !  "  she  exclaimed,  at  last.  Her  big 
voice  was  raucous  with  anger.  "  Sure,  then,  and 
we're  not  members,  at  all !  " 

As  the  bald  truth  was  thus  made  known  to  Sadie, 
she  flared  into  complete  forgetfulness  of  the  ideal 
deportment  of  her  heroines. 

"  Them  cats  trun  us  down !  "  she  screeched. 

Mrs.  Schmidt  uttered  no  word,  for  she  was  by  na- 
ture given  to  profound  silences,  almost  unbroken  for 
days.  Perhaps,  she  believed  the  garrulity  of  her 
husband  ample  for  the  entire  family.  Nevertheless, 
in  this  critical  moment,  Mrs.  Schmidt  opened  her 
mouth  repeatedly,  like  a  fish  out  of  water,  as  if  she 
were  striving  her  utmost  to  speak. 

"  And  —  and,"  Cicily  added  weakly,  "  I'm  awfully 
sorry." 

"  Sure,  and  you  don't  need  to  trouble  yourself, 
183 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Mrs.  Hamilton,"  the  Irishwoman  declared,  viciously. 
"  The  likes  of  us  know  how  you  rich  people  have  a 
habit  of  bringing  us  into  your  parlors  to  make  fun 
for  their  friends.  You  come  to  our  homes,  and  we 
treated  you  like  a  lady.  Faith,  now  we  come  here, 
and  you  treat  us  like  monkeys  —  that's  all  the  dif- 
ference. We're  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  lesson. 
Sure,  and  we  won't  bother  you  again,  not  a  bit  of  it. 
And  we'll  be  pleased  if  you'll  treat  us  the  same. 
Good-day  to  you,  Mrs.  Hamilton."  The 
irate  woman  bobbed  her  head  energetically  at  her  hos- 
tess, and  strode  toward  the  doorway  into  the  hall. 
But  she  halted  for  a  moment  as  Cicily  addressed  her 
impetuously. 

"  Mrs.  McMahon,  you  must  listen  to  me !  I  had  no 
idea  that  this  would  turn  out  as  it  did.  I  have  been 
your  friend  —  I  am  your  friend.  When  the  club 
refused  to  admit  you,  I  resigned  from  the  club. 
There  is  nothing  more  that  I  can  do.  Oh,  I  am  so 
sorry  that  it  all  occurred ! " 

"  Faith,  we'll  take  your  explanation  for  all  it's 
worth,"  was  the  wrathful  woman's  comment,  uttered 
with  scorn.  She  was  too  deeply  hurt  to  be  solaced 
by  explanations  that  did  not  alter  the  shameful  fact 

184 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

one  whit.  She  turned  again  toward  the  doorway, 
only  to  be  halted  by  the  appearance  there  of  her  hus- 
band, accompanied  by  Schmidt  and  Ferguson. 

McMahon  paused  just  within  the  room,  and  stood 
rubbing  his  hands,  and  grinning  jovially,  his  round 
face  aglow  with  satisfaction.  He  addressed  his  wife 
banteringly,  evidently  in  high  good  spirits: 

"  Faith,  Katy  McMahon,"  he  exclaimed,  "  but 
you're  looking  proud  the  day !  Sure,  now,  I'll  have 
the  automobile  to  take  us  all  up  to  Sherry's  in  just  a 
minute,  when  we've  done  talking  with  Mr.  Hamilton. 
Bedad,  with  our  wives  and  daughters  moving  in  such 
elegant  society  and  members  of  such  a  grand  club 
with  the  boss's  wife,  we  wouldn't  dare  take  them  any 
less  place  at  all !  " 

"  It's  a  bad  mind-reader  you  are !  "  fairly  shouted 
the  outraged  wife.  Sadie  added  something  unintelli- 
gible, it  was  so  rapidly  uttered  and  so  venomously 
hissed.  Even  Mrs.  Schmidt  displayed  every  symptom 
of  speech  save  sound. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Sadie  ?  "  Ferguson  demanded, 
not  unkindly,  as  he  observed  the  expression  on  hia 
daughter's  face.  "  Wasn't  your  false  hair  the  right 
shade?  I'm  sorry,  if  it  ain't,  because  I  don't  see  as 

185 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

how  I  can  buy  you  any  more  with  this  ten  per  cent, 
cut  we're  taking." 

Instantly,  Cicily  aroused  to  new  hope.  She  moved 
a  step  forward,  her  hands  up-raised  in  eagerness.  A 
glow  of  color  burned  in  either  cheek,  and  her  eyes 
sparkled  again. 

"  Oh,"  she  questioned  tensely,  "  then  you're  not 
going  to  strike  —  you'll  take  the  cut  ?  " 

It  was  Schmidt  who  answered,  beaming  happily  on 
his  hostess. 

"  Strike?  Ah,  not  When  you  make  friends  with 
our  wives,  and  Mr.  Hamilton,  he  tells  us  the  truth 
just  like  one  man  with  another,  we  appreciate  it,  yes ; 
we  stand  by  and  help,  yes ! " 

"  Schmidt's  right,"  Ferguson  added.  "  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton and  you,  ma'am,  are  human.  So,  we've  decided 
to  stick  it  out  for  a  while,  anyhow." 

McMahon,  too,  yielded  his  tribute  of  commenda- 
tion. 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  he  said  seriously,  "  there's 
one  thing  that  the  bosses  generally  don't  understand ; 
but  the  men  always  appreciate  it  when  the  boss,  and 
the  boss's  wife,  too,  are  on  the  level." 

To  the  amazement  of  everyone,  Mrs.  Schmidt  broke 
186 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

into  speech;  and  that  outburst  was  like  the  eruction 
of  Krakatao  in  its  unexpectedness,  its  suddenness,  its 
overwhelming  virulence. 

"  Yes,  yes,  yes,"  she  clamored,  addressing  her  hap- 
less husband,  who  stood  appalled  before  the  attack, 
"  you  are  one  big,  fat  fool !  You  always  were.  You 
are  in  love  with  her  —  no  ?  You  let  her  bring  your 
wife  here,  make  her  for  a  joke  to  her  rich  friends,  let 
her  get  insults.  They  laugh  and  make  fun  of  me, 
Frieda  Schmidt,  your  wife ;  and  then,  when  they  have 
had  the  good  laugh,  they  say :  *  What  do  you  think 
we  want  of  you?  You  are  not  like  us.  We  are 
grand  ladies:  you  are  a  working  woman.  Get  out! 
Get  out!  We  have  had  our  laugh  at  you.  Now, 
go !  We  are  through ;  we  are  tired  of  you.  It  was 
very  good  of  Mrs.  Hamilton  to  bring  you  here  for 
us  to  laugh  at ;  but  it  is  over.  Get  out ! ' 
And  then  you  come  and  thank  her  because  she  insults 
your  wife,  insults  your  name ;  and  you  take  less  wages 
from  her  husband  because  she  insults  your  name  and 
me.  If  you  take  that  cut,  you  are  not  my  man  — 
never  with  me  no  more !  "  With  the  last  words,  she 
darted  from  the  room,  and  a  moment  later  the  street- 
door  slammed  violently  behind  her. 

187 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Good  for  Frieda ! "  Mrs.  McMahon  applauded. 
"  When  she  does  talk,  sure  she  says  something. 
.  .  .  You  heard  her,  Mike  McMahon?  Well, 
what  she  said,  them's'  my  sentiments.  You  know 
what  she  did  now."  A  jerk  of  the  head  indicated  the 
wretched  hostess.  "  She  pretended  to  ask  us  to  join 
a  club.  She  brought  us  here  to  insult  us,  to  make 
fun  of  us.  She  made  us  the  laughing-stock  of  Mor- 
ton and  Carrington's  wives.  Do  you  hear  that? 
Morton  and  Carrington!  Put  the  names  of  them  in 
your  pipe  and  smoke  it.  Mike  McMahon,  listen  to 
what  I'm  telling  you.  If  you  take  a  cut  from  them 
that  insult  your  wife,  you  can  forget  to  come  home 
for  good,  my  bucco."  In  her  turn,  the  Irishwoman 
stalked  out  of  the  room  and  from  the  house  with  a 
tread  of  heavy  dignity. 

"  That  goes  with  me,  Pop !  "  Sadie  declared,  as  she 
flounced  out. 

"  It's  all  been  a  terrible  mistake,"  Cicily  ventured 
to  the  three  men  who  stood  regarding  her  with  sullen 
faces  and  baleful  eyes  after  the  revelations  that  had 
just  been  made. 

"  I'm  thinking  you're  right,"  McMahon  agreed. 
There  was  something  sinister  in  his  voice.  c"  But  it's 

188 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

us  that  made  the  mistake.  We  thought  the  boss  and 
his  wife  could  be  on  the  level  with  us.  What  a  bunch 
of  damn  fools  we  were ! "  And  his  two  confreres 
nodded  gloomy  assent. 

It  was  at  this  most  unpropitious  moment  that  Ham- 
ilton came  briskly  into  the  room.  He  stopped  shprt 
in  the  doorway,  at  sight  of  the  three  men  of  the  com- 
mittee, who  turned  to  face  him. 

"  Well,  boys,"  he  exclaimed  briskly,  "  have  you  de- 
cided?" The  men  nodded  without  speaking. 
"Well?" 

"  I'll  do  the  talking,"  Ferguson  said,  holding  up 
a  hand  to  check  Schmidt.  "  We've  decided,  Mr. 
Hamilton.  We're  going  to  strike.  We'll  make  you 
come  to  terms,  or  we'll  bust  you  if  we  can." 

Hamilton's  face  hardened,  and  he  squared  his  shoul- 
ders. 

"  I  suppose  you  know  what  you're  up  against  ?  " 
he  questioned  harshly. 

"  Yes,  we've  just  found  out,"  Ferguson  retorted, 
with  gusty  rage.  "  We'd  been  thinking  that  you 
were  on  the  level  —  you  and  your  wife,  too.  We 
swallowed  that  funny  story  of  your  being  crushed  by 
the  trust.  Oh,  we  were  suckers,  all  right.  We  were 

189 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

suckers  for  fair !  We  were  going  to  fall  for  it.  We 
were  going  to  take  your  cut.  And  then  your  wife 
brings  our  wives  and  daughters  here,  pretending  she's 
going  to  put  them  in  her  club  —  brings  them  here  to 
make  a  laugh  for  Morton  and  Carrington's  wives. 
Yes,  Morton  and  Carrington,  the  very  men  you  say 
are  crushing  you,  your  enemies!  Oh,  your  enemies 
are  all  right!  Do  you  think  we  are  fools?  No,  to 
hell  with  you !  "  The  furious  man's  voice  rose  to  a 
shriek  with  the  last  words.  He  whirled,  and  made 
for  the  door,  and  the  other  two  followed  him. 

"  One  minute,"  Hamilton  called.  "  You  needn't 
go  back  to  the  works.  We  close  down  in  ten  min- 
utes. Come  back  to  see  me  when  you  are  hungry." 
He  stood  motionless  as  the  men  passed  silently  out, 
and  until  he  heard  the  sound  of  the  street-door  closing 
behind  them.  Then,  he  turned  to  Cicily,  who  had 
waited  pallid  and  shaken,  her  eyes  downcast,  her 
hands  clasped  distressedly.  His  voice,  as  he  spoke, 
was  not  softened;  even,  it  was  harder  than  before. 
"  You  see  what  you  have  done,"  he  said  simply. 
"  This  settles  it.  I'm  going  into  a  big  fight.  I 
can't  be  handicapped.  For  the  future,  you  will  stay 

190 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

where  you  belong.  You  will  confine  your  activities 
to  the  house,  where  they  will  be  less  dangerous,  let  us 
hope  —  less  fatal ! "  Without  awaiting  any  reply, 
he  wheeled,  and  strode  from  the  room. 


191 


CHAPTER  XH 

CICIL.Y  sent  word  of  a  severe  headache,  and  did 
not  appear  at  the  dinner-table  that  night,  nor  did  she 
see  her  husband  during  the  evening.  She  retired  to 
her  bed-chamber  at  an  early  hour,  but  not  to  sleep. 
Instead,  she  abandoned  herself  to  torturing  reflections 
on  the  malevolent  predicament  into  which  she  had 
been  brought.  She  did  not  attempt  to  disguise  from 
herself  the  hideous  fact  that  her  own  precipitancy  of 
action  in  the  matter  of  the  candidates  for  the  club 
had  been  the  primary  cause  of  the  peril  that  now 
beset  her  husband's  business  prosperity  by  reason 
of  the  strike  thus  induced.  She  bewailed  the  impetu- 
ous character  of  her  emotions,  which  had  so  evilly 
led  her  into  an  action  fraught  with  such  dire  conse- 
quences. She  had  no  regret  for  the  motives  that  had 
impelled  her,  but  she  was  profoundly  sorrowful  over 
the  thoughtless  haste  with  which  she  had  entered  on 
a  course  of  more  than  doubtful  expediency.  Her 
one  relief  was  in  a  reiteration  that  she  would,  that 
she  must,  find  some  way  by  which  to  make  amends  for 

192 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  catastrophe  she  had  so  ingenuously  engineered. 
To  the  discovery  of  a  method  for  retrieving  her  error, 
she  gave  her  mind  with  an  almost  frenzied  concentra- 
tion ;  but  the  effort  was  fruitless.  Cudgel  her  wearied 
brain  as  she  would,  it  could  not  make  pace  to  the 
goal  she  sought.  When,  after  a  sleepless  night,  she 
rose,  it  was  with  the  maze  of  disaster  still  unthreaded. 
Her  usual  ingenuity  of  resource  was  become  impo- 
tent. Raging  against  her  own  supineness,  she  was 
yet  forced  into  ignoble  inactivity. 

Cicily  learned  that  her  husband  had  breakfasted 
early,  and  had  left  the  house,  without  any  message 
to  her,  or  any  statement  as  to  when  he  might  return. 
The  sight  of  food  sickened  her,  but  she  managed  to 
drink  a  cup  of  coffee,  which  put  a  little  heart  into  her 
after  the  wearing  hours  of  the  night.  A  turn  around 
the  Park  and  along  the  Drive  still  further  quickened 
her  spirits;  but  the  day  passed  without  any  flash  of 
inspiration  as  to  a  means  for  undoing  the  ill  she  had 
wrought.  She  made  a  toilette  for  dinner  by  a  brave 
effort.  Yet,  she  might  have  spared  her  pains,  for 
Hamilton  did  not  appear.  She  idled  through  the 
meal  with  as  much  cheeriness  of  demeanor  as  she 
could  summon  for  the  benefit  of  the  servants.  After- 

193 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ward,  she  sought  the  seclusion  of  her  boudoir,  leaving 
word  that  she  should  be  notified  immediately  in  the 
event  of  her  husband's  return. 

In  the  meantime,  Hamilton  himself  had  oppor- 
tunity for  meditation,  and  this  had  softened  his  mood 
to  some  degree.  He  admitted  to  himself  that  her 
interest  in  the  wives  of  his  workmen  had  been  the 
prime  factor  in  their  determination  to  endure  a  tem- 
porary cut  in  the  wage-scale  without  striking.  To 
be  sure,  his  own  attitude  of  confidential  intercourse 
with  the  leaders  in  stating  his  position  frankly  had 
had  its  influence ;  but  he  did  not  for  a  moment  be- 
lieve that  this  alone  would  have  sufficed  to  bend  the 
men  to  his  will.  No,  it  had  been  the  happy  effect 
of  his  wife's  intimate  association  on  terms  of  equality 
with  the  women  that  had  been  the  chief  factor  in  cre- 
ating a  sentiment  of  sympathy  for  him  to  the  extent 
of  cooperation.  Without  her  work  in  his  behalf,  the 
men  would  certainly  have  struck.  Now,  since  her 
mistake  in  judgment  had  been  the  immediate  cause  of 
the  strike,  in  justice  she  could  hardly  be  held  guilty 
of  more  than  an  act  of  folly.  Essentially,  the  final 
situation  was  what  it  would  have  been  without  any 
intervention  whatsoever  on  her  part.  In  going  over 

194 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  succession  of  events  logically  and  calmly,  Hamil- 
ton came  to  the  decision  that  he  would  absolve  his 
wife  from  any  real  guilt  in  the  affair.  He  even  felt 
a  half-hearted  kindliness  toward  her  for  her  blunder- 
ing ,  good-will.  But  he  was  none  the  less  resolved 
that  he  would  tolerate  no  further  injection  of  this 
charming  feminine  personality  into  his  business  con- 
cerns. The  wife  must  mind  her  own  business  — 
the  home  —  and  that  alone ;  she  must  have  no  part 
in  his.  ...  It  was  in  this  mood  that  he  returned 
to  his  house  late  in  the  evening,  and  shut  himself 
into  the  study.  There,  presently,  Cicily  came,  seek- 
ing him. 

The  bride  was  very  beautiful  to-night,  with  a  touch 
of  sadness  in  her  expression  that  gave  her  a  new 
spirituelle  charm.  She  had  chosen  a  black  gown  as 
becoming  the  melancholy  of  the  time,  but  its  austere 
lines,  without  any  touch  of  adornment,  only  brought 
into  full  relief  the  exquisite  outlines  of  the  slenderly 
rounded  form,  and  served  to  emphasize  the  creamy 
whiteness  of  a  complexion  that  was  flawless.  There 
was  hardly  a  glimpse  of  rose  in  the  ivory  curve  of 
the  cheeks,  but  there  was  no  lessening  of  the  bending 
scarlet  in  the  lips,  and  the  amber  eyes  were  luminous 

195 


;  V 
MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

even  beyond  their  wont,  as  their  gentle  radiance  shone 
forth  above  the  dark  circles  traced  by  a  sleepless 
night. 

Hamilton  turned  a  little  as  the  door  opened.  He 
regarded  his  wife  quizzically  as  she  walked  forward 
with  a  step  of  native  grace,  now  grown  a  trifle  lan- 
guid from  the  weight  on  her  spirit.  He  did  not 
speak,  however,  until  she  had  seated  herself  in  the 
chair  facing  his.  Then,  when  at  last  she  looked  up, 
and  her  somber  gaze  encountered  his,  he  spoke 
lightly : 

"  Cicily,  my  dear,  I  think  you  are  well  rid  of  that 
coterie  of  cats." 

"  Why,  how  did  you  know?  "  Cicily  questioned,  in 
some  astonishment  as  to  his  knowledge  of  her  break 
with  the  members  of  the  Civitas  Society. 

"  Oh,  in  a  very  simple  way.  Aunt  Emma  told 
Uncle  Jim,  and  Uncle  Jim  told  me."  Then,  out  of 
the  kindness  of  his  heart,  the  young  husband  went  on 
speaking  in  such  wise,  according  to  his  best  judg- 
ment, as  should  console  the  very  apparent  misery  of 
his  wife.  "  My  dear,"  he  said  gently,  "  I  want  you  to 
know  that  I  don't  really  blame  you  for  this  wretched 
strike.  I'd  Have  had  it  on  my  hands  just  the  same, 

196 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

if  you'd  never  had  a  finger  in  the  pie.  So,  don't  go 
grieving  over  something  that  can't  be  helped.  And, 
of  course,  I  give  you  all  credit  for  the  very  best  of 
intentions  in  the  matter.  Only  — "  He  broke  off 
discreetly;  but  the  discretion  had  come  too  late. 

"  Only  what  ?  "  Cicily  questioned,  quietly.  There 
was  something  ominous  in  the  quiet,  and  this  the  man 
realized. 

Nevertheless,  Hamilton  was  not  one  to  shirk  that 
which  he  deemed  his  duty.  So,  now,  he  answered 
lucidly  with  just  what  was  in  his  mind  as  to  the  fu- 
ture relations  between  them,  although  he  understood 
sufficiently  well  the  ambitions  of  the  woman  before 
him  to  know  that  he  must  wound  her  deeply. 

"  Sweetheart,"  he  said  softly,  "  I  don't  wish  to 
grieve  you  in  any  way.  Yet,  I  must  insist  calmly 
now  on  what  I  said  yesterday  in  the  heat  of  anger. 
You  must  attend  to  your  duty  in  the  home.  It  is  for 
me,  and  for  me  alone,  to  conduct  matters  of  business 
outside.  Can  you  not  understand  that  you  are  by 
nature  and  training  utterly  incompetent  for  the  role 
you  seek  to  play  ?  Business  aptitude  is  not  a  thing  to 
be  picked  up  in  an  instant,  haphazard,  at  the  wish 
of  anyone.  It  is  something  acquired  by  long  striv- 

197 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

ing  and  experience.  The  man  has  it  in  greater  or 
less  degree,  as  the  result  of  generations  of  the  work ; 
he  inherits  an  aptitude;  he  develops  it  by  systematic 
training.  Feminine  intuition  cannot  give  you  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  practical  needs  of  business.  So,  my 
dear,  I  beg  you  to  be  reasonable.  You  must  not 
meddle  further  in  my  affairs.  But,  don't,  for 
heaven's  sake,  be  melancholy  over  it.  I  love  you,  my 
dear,  and  I  want  you  to  be  happy.  You  will  be,  if 
only  you  can  get  the  right  point  of  view.  Try ! 
Won't  you,  dear?  "  As  he  finished  speaking  with 
this  appeal,  Hamilton  leaned  forward  anxiously, 
pleadingly.  Deep  down  in  his  heart  he  felt  a  glow  of 
pride  over  the  mildness  and  the  reasonableness  with 
which  he  had  presented  the  case  in  its  true  light  to 
this  irrational,  dear  creature. 

For  a  long  minute,  Cicily  vouchsafed  no  answer, 
although  she  felt  the  intensity  of  his  gaze  fixed  upon 
her.  She  remained  motionless,  leaning  back  in  the 
chair,  her  taper  fingers  loosely  clasped  on  her  lap, 
her  eyes  downcast,  as  one  absorbed  in  earnest,  yet 
not  disquieting,  thought.  Finally,  however,  she 
raised  her  head  slowly,  and  her  gaze  met  that  of  her 

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MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

husband  fairly.  It  seemed  to  him  that  perhaps  the 
faint  touch  of  color  in  her  cheeks  had  grown  a  little 
brighter,  but  of  this  he  could  not  be  sure.  Other- 
wise, certainly,  she  betrayed  no  sign  of  particular 
emotion;  whereat  he  rejoiced,  since  he  knew  from  ex- 
perience that  her  temperament  might  manifest 
tumultuously  on  occasion. 

"  Then,  it's  come,"  she  said  at  last,  in  a  low  voice. 
Again,  her  eyes  were  downcast,  and  she  rested  there, 
to  all  appearance,  tranquilly  indifferent. 

Hamilton  stirred  uneasily.  This  was  not  what  he 
had  expected,  and  he  found  himself  unprepared  for 
the  emergency. 

"  If  you  mean  that  common-sense  has  come,"  he 
remarked  grimly,  "  I  beg  to  tell  you  that  it  has,  and 
that  it  has  come  to  stay !  " 

The  wife  spoke  again,  rather  languidly,  without 
troubling  to  raise  her  eyes. 

"  You  mean  that  you  are  going  to  push  me  back, 
that  you  are  going  to  shut  me  out  of  your  life  totally 
— •  out  of  your  big,  whole,  full  life  ?  You  mean  that, 
for  the  future,  you  are  going  to  treat  me  as  a  doll, 
as  a  plaything  with  which  to  amuse  yourself  when 

199 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

you  chance  to  be  tired  and  in  a  mood  for  such  di- 
version —  in  fact,  as  other  men  of  the  average  sort 
treat  their  wives?  You  have  told  your  side  of  it. 
Now,  I'm  going  to  tell  you  mine.  And  I'm  going  to 
ask  you  not  to  decide  too  hastily.  Think  over  the 
matter  carefully,  I  beg  of  you.  For,  you  see,  it  in- 
volves our  whole  future,  yours  and  mine. 
Charles,  once  you  yielded  to  my  wishes.  You  took 
me  in.  You  let  me  help  you." 

"  Yes,"  exclaimed  Hamilton,  in  exasperation  of 
spirit.  "  And  you  made  a  mess  of  things  all  round !  " 
He  shook  his  head  emphatically.  "  No,  Cicily ; 
I  tell  you,  no !  " 

"  Charles,  wait !  "  the  wife  commanded,  raising  her 
eyes,  and  straightening  her  form  in  sudden  animation. 
"  Take  my  money  —  take  everything  that  I  have. 
Throw  it  away,  if  you  want  to.  Use  it  in  your  busi- 
ness, if  it  will  help  the  least  bit.  Do  whatever  you 
please  —  only,  don't  shut  me  out.  Tell  me  every- 
thing. Teach  me  something  of  your  knowledge  con- 
cerning these  things.  Let  me  share  as  much  as  I  can. 
You  direct,  of  course.  I'll  only  do  what  you  wish 
me  to  do.  But  don't  drive  me  away  from  you."  She 

200 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

paused,  leaned  farther  fonvard,  and  went  on  speak- 
ing in  a  tone  of  deepest  seriousness :  "  If  we  part 
this  way  now,  if  I  am  to  cease  from  any  interest  in 
your  affairs,  and  you  go  on  alone,  why,  then,  I'll 
never  have  you  again.  I  know  that  for  the  truth. 
That's  why  I  am  pleading  like  this.  Once,  I  de- 
manded it  as  a  right ;  now,  I  beg  it  as  a  favor.  Here 
is  the  choice,  Charles.  You  can't  be  as  Uncle  Jim 
is,  simply  because  I  won't  be  like  Aunt  Emma  in  this 
matter.  If  you  shut  me  out  now,  I'll  shut  you  out  — 
for  good !  " 

"  Good  God !  was  there  ever  such  a  woman  !  "  Ham- 
ilton cried,  in  desperation.  "  Why,  if  I  were  to  take 
you  in,  within  two  weeks  you'd  be  down  there,  helping 
the  families  of  the  strikers.  You  told  me  that,  your- 
self." 

"  Would  you  have  me  see  them  starve,  Charles, 
when  I  had  the  means  for  their  relief?  "  came  the  un- 
daunted retort. 

"  That  does  settle  it !  "  Hamilton  exclaimed,  with 
angry  vehemence.  It  came  to  him  in  this  instant  that 
all  his  reasonableness  and  gentleness  were  futile  when 
opposed  to  the  unfeminine  ambition  of  his  girl  wife. 

201 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Temper  had  him  in  its  clutch,  and  he  yielded  blindly 
to  its  guidance.  "  I'm  your  husband,  Cicily,"  he  an- 
nounced, dictatorially.  "  Please,  understand  that, 
from  now  on,  I  direct  the  affairs  of  this  family. 
There  can  be  no  happiness  in  a  house  without  head  — 
only  bother  and  worry  and  confusion.  From  now 
on,  I  direct.  I'm  the  head  of  this  house.  .  .  . 
I  have  a  big  fight  on.  I  intend  that  you  shall  be 
loyal.  I  mean  that  you  shall  be  faithful  to  me 
straight  through." 

"You  demand  this  ?  "  The  woman's  voice  was  like 
ice. 

"  Yes,"  the  husband  replied,  roughly.  "  I  demand 
that  you  take  your  proper  place,  the  place  of  a  wife 
in  her  husband's  home ;  and  that  you  stay  there,  doing 
as  I  tell  you.  And,  in  this  strike,  you  keep  your 
hands  off.  This  is  what  you  must  do,  as  long  as  I 
am  your  husband."  The  man's  eyes  were  masterful ; 
his  jaw  was  thrust  forward. 

"  Well,  if  that's  the  sort  of  man  you  are,  I  won't 
have  you  for  a  husband,"  Cicily  declared,  quietly. 
There  was  an  air  of  aloofness  about  her  that  was  more 
disturbing  than  had  been  a  display  of  passion.  "  If 
that's  your  idea  of  marriage,  we'd  be  better  apart,  for 

202 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

it  isn't  mine.  No,  you're  not  my  husband."  She 
stood  up,  slowly  drew  the  wedding-ring  from  her 
finger,  and  laid  it  on  the  table. 

"  Cicily ! "  Hamilton  cried,  aghast,  as  she  turned 
away. 

She  did  not  pause  until  she  was  come  to  the  door. 
But,  there,  she  faced  about  for  a  final  utterance. 

"  No,  I  won't  have  you  for  a  husband,"  was  her 
ultimatum.  .  .  .  "And  yet,  I  think  that  I'll 
teach  you  a  lesson.  I  have  a  fancy  to  save  you  —  in 
spite  of  yourself !  "  And,  leaving  Hamilton  to  pon- 
der these  astounding  words,  she  went  forth  from  the 
room. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  week  that  followed  was  to  Cicily  the  most 
strenuous  and  the  most  exciting  that  she  had  ever 
experienced  in  the  brief  span  of  her  years.  She 
steadfastly  maintained  her  pose  as  a  woman  who  had 
renounced  her  husband;  yet,  she  remained  in  that 
husband's  house,  with  a  sublime  disregard  for  the 
inconsistency  of  her  conduct.  She  studiously  avoided 
any  discussion  of  the  status  she  had  established. 
What  her  future  course  would  be  was  left  wholly  to 
conjecture.  She  presided  at  the  table  with  inimita- 
ble grace  and  self-possession,  taking  care  to  treat 
her  husband  with  every  consideration,  but  always 
with  a  trace  of  formality  that  was  significant  of  the 
changed  relation.  Hamilton,  on  his  part,  was  in- 
clined to  regard  his  wife's  dramatic  renunciation  of 
him  as  a  passing  whim,  which  it  were  wiser  to  ignore 
until  such  time  as  it  should  have  worn  itself  out.  In 
the  meantime,  he  was  so  much  absorbed  by  the  strug- 
gle over  his  business  difficulties  that  he  had  little 
time  or  disposition  to  make  researches  into  feminine 

204 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

psychology,  even  that  of  his  wife.  He  had  an  opti- 
mistic theory  that,  in  the  end,  his  domestic  troubles 
would  adjust  themselves  by  some  process  of  natural 
evolution.  He  was  confident,  too,  that  his  assertion 
of  mastery  must  eventually  be  accepted  by  his  wife. 
So,  he  smiled  pleasantly  on  Cicily,  when  he  was  not 
too  busy  to  notice  her  presence,  and  betimes  he  felt 
the  little  packet  that  he  carried  in  the  inner  pocket 
of  his  waistcoat,  and  was  fondly  content,  wondering 
when  the  dear  girl  would  again  slip  the  bond  of 
servitude  willingly  on  the  finger  whence  she  had  re- 
moved it  with  such  magnificent  disdain. 

It  was  that  wedding-ring,  thus  cherished  by  Ham- 
ilton, which  caused  the  wife  more  concern  than  aught 
else  in  her  domestic  entanglement.  She  had  re- 
garded the  symbol  as  something  splendidly  sacred, 
and  she  now  bitterly  regretted  the  impulse  that  had 
led  her  to  discard  it  so  needlessly.  Indeed,  the  very 
night  on  which  she  defied  her  husband,  she  had  crept 
down  to  the  library  when  all  the  house  was  quiet,  and 
had  there  made  sure  that  it  was  not  still  lying  dis- 
regarded on  the  table  where  she  had  cast  it  down 
in  resentment.  Now,  she  hoped  and  believed  that 
her  husband  had  locked  it  away  in  some  drawer  where 

205 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

at  least  it  would  be  safe.  Only,  she  wished  that  she 
had  saved  it  as  a  souvenir  of  mingled  happiness  and 
sorrow. 

Apart  from  this  matter  of  the  ring,  Cicily  had 
no  remorse.  She  regretted  the  course  of  action 
thrust  on  her  by  malign  fate,  but  her  conscience  was 
clear  of  reproach.  Perhaps,  in  some  subtle,  uncon- 
fessed  recess  of  her  heart,  she  nourished  a  hope  that 
ultimately  joy  would  return  to  her  life.  But  her 
openly  expressed  conviction  to  herself  was  that  she 
was  done  with  the  life  of  love.  Yet,  a  curious  per- 
sonal ambition  urged  her  on  to  make  good  the  decla- 
ration to  her  husband  that  she  would  save  him  in  spite 
of  himself.  To  this  end,  she  bent  all  her  energies. 
Aa  she  reflected  on  the  circumstances  under  which  she 
bad  so  ignominiously  failed,  she  decided  that  she 
must  have  recourse  again  to  the  means  by  which  she 
had  so  nearly  attained  success  in  her  plans  for  her 
husband's  welfare,  only  to  fail  miserably  on  account 
of  the  obstinacy  of  the  Civitas  Society.  So,  she 
sought  out  the  women  whom  she  had  unhappily  of- 
fered as  candidates  to  the  club,  and  set  herself  with 
all  the  art  that  was  in  her  to  win  back  their  favor. 
She  was  sure  that  by  alliance  with  them  she  could 

206 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

mold  circumstance  to  her  will,  and  ultimately  triumph 
gloritmsly  over  the  erring  man  who  had  flouted  her 
ambition  to  help  in  a  business  struggle. 

Cicily  made  a  full  confession  of  her  marital  dis- 
aster to  Mrs.  Delancy,  who  by  turns  scolded  and 
cried  over  the  wilful  girl.  The  old  lady  disapproved 
strongly  of  her  niece's  conduct,  which  was  without 
any  excuse  whatsoever  according  to  her  own  notions 
of  conventional  requirements.  But,  since  she  loved 
this  child  whom  she  had  mothered,  she  forgave  her, 
and  by  degrees  came  to  feel  a  certain  sympathy  for 
her,  which  reacted  mildly  in  her  own  attitude  toward 
her  husband.  ...  It  was  on  one  of  her  visits 
to  her  aunt  that  Cicily  encountered  Mr.  Delancj, 
who  was  already  aware  of  the  unfortunate  position 
of  affairs,  and  now  felt  himself  called  on  to  protest. 
He  expressed  himself  with  some  severity,  and  con- 
cluded with  a  hope  that  she  was  not  determined  to 
persevere  in  her  folly. 

"  I  was  never  more  determined  in  my  whole  life, 
Uncle  Jim,"  was  the  emphatic  answer. 

Mr.  Delancy  resisted  a  temptation  to  snatch  up 
one  of  the  teacups  from  the  exquisite  Sevres  service 
over  which  his  wife  and  his  niece  were  sitting,  and 

207 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  hurl  it  into  the  fireplace,  for  the  sake  of  relieving 
his  choler.  He  refrained  from  any  overt  act,  how- 
ever, by  a  great  effort  of  will,  and  perforce  con- 
tented himself  with  an  explicit  statement  of  his  opin- 
ion: 

"  You  were  never  more  bull-headed  in  your  life," 
he  snorted,  stopping  short  in  his  agitated  pacing  of 
the  drawing-room,  to  face  his  niece  with  a  scowl; 
"  and  that's  saying  a  great  deal  —  a  very  great 
deal!" 

"  James ! "  Mrs.  Delancy  exclaimed,  in  mild  re- 
monstrance. 

But  Cicily  was  not  to  be  suppressed  by  this  man 
who  typified  the  evils  against  which  she  had  fought. 

"  Would  you  have  me  give  up  my  principles?  "  she 
questioned,  scornfully. 

Once  again,  Mr.  Delancy  snorted  contemptuously. 

"  You  haven't  got  any  principles,"  he  declared, 
baldly.  "  No  woman  has." 

At  this  brutal  statement  on  the  part  of  her  hus- 
band, Mrs.  Delancy  stiffened,  and  an  exclamation  of 
shocked  amazement  burst  from  her.  Cicily  smiled 
cynically,  as  she  addressed  her  aunt : 

"  Well,  Aunt  Emma,"  she  said  amusedly,  "  you 
208 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

see  now  what  your  attitude  has  led  to.  You  began 
with  no  backbone.  So,  now,  you  have  no  principles. 
Oh,  you  nice,  sweet-faced,  gray-headed,  deceiving  old- 
lady  reprobate,  you ! " 

But  Mrs.  Delancy  refused  to  see  any  element  of 
humor  in  the  situation.  Indeed,  she  was  on  the  verge 
of  tears  over  the  wantonly  injurious  statement  made 
by  the  husband  whom  she  had  cherished  for  a  life- 
time. 

"  James,  how  could  you !  "  she  cried  out,  in  a  voice 
broken  by  emotion.  "  To  say  such  things  to  your 
wife  — oh!" 

Too  late,  the  irascible  husband  realized  that  he 
had  committed  a  serious  fault,  had  in  fact  been  guilty 
of  a  gross  injustice,  which  was  hardly  less  than  an 
insult  to  the  woman  whom  he  thoroughly  respected. 

"  Emma  —  "  he  began,  appealingly . 

But  Mrs.  Delancy  had  changed  in  an  instant  from 
tearful  reproach  to  righteous  indignation. 

"  No,  don't  speak  to  me ! "  she  commanded ;  and 
she  deliberately  turned  her  back  on  the  culprit. 

Under  the  goad  of  this  treatment,  Delancy  ad- 
dressed his  niece  in  a  tone  that  was  almost  ferocious. 

"  So,"  he  snarled,  "  not  content  with  breaking  up 
209 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

your  own  home,  you'd  try  to  ruin  mine,  would  you! 
You  should  apologize  to  your  Aunt  Emma,  at  once." 

"  Dear  Auntie,"  Cicily  exclaimed  without  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation,  in  a  voice  of  contrition,  "  I  beg  you 
to  let  me  apologize  to  you  very  humbly  for  what 
Uncle  James  said." 

"  What  the  —  !  "  stormed  the  badgered  old  gen- 
tleman. "  Now,  look  here,  Cicily.  You  think  you're 
very  smart.  But  do  you  know  what  your  attitude 
has  led  to?  —  Scandal !  " 

Mrs.  Delancy  forgot  for  the  moment  her  own  sub- 
ject for  complaint. 

"  Yes,"  she  agreed,  turning  to  her  niece,  "  it's  a 
scandal  to  live  in  a  house  with  a  strange  man  — 
you  know,  that's  what  you  yourself  called  Charles." 

"  It's  a  worse  scandal,"  Delancy  amended,  "  not 
to  live  with  him." 

u  Oh,  I  see,"  Cicily  remarked,  meditatively.  "  I 
must  have  a  chaperon.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  now, 
Charles  is,  or  rather  he  was,  my  husband.  That 
seems,  somehow,  to  make  a  difference.  At  least,  we 
are  well  acquainted,  although  strangers  at  present,  i« 
a  sense.  And,  besides,  I  have  the  kindliest  feeling 
for  Charles,  and  that's  more  than  lots  of  women  have 

210 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

for  their  husbands.  As  to  that,  you  know,  since 
he's  not  mj  husband  now,  there  is  really  no  reasoa 
why  I  should  not  have  the  very  kindliest  of  feelings 
for  him." 

"  Well,  you  claim  to  renounce  your  husband,"  De- 
lancy  argued  angrily,  "  and  yet  you  continue  to  live 
with  him  in  the  same  house.  It's  a  monstrous  state 
of  affairs.  Will  you  tell  me,  please,  madam,  when 
this  scandalous  situation  is  to  end?  " 

"  Would  you  have  me  desert  Charles  in  a  crisis?  " 
Cicily  demanded,  haughtily.  "  No,  I'll  give  no  one 
an  opportunity  to  accuse  me  of  desertion  in  the  face 
of  the  enemy." 

**  Oh,  Lord !  "  Delancy  exclaimed ;  and  his,  tone 
was  eloquent.  "  Oh,  no,  you  haven't  deserted 
him ! " 

"  I  don't  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  it,"  Cicily 
objected,  flushing  painfully.  "  Charles  and  I  have 
merely  —  that  is,  we've  —  broken  off  diplomatic  re- 
lations." 

At  this  extraordinary  statement  of  the  case,  Mrs. 
Delancy,  in  her  turn,  flushed  a  dainty  pink,  which 
was  wondrously  becoming  to  her  waxen  cheeks,  not 
unduly  wrinkled  despite  her  burden  of  years.  De- 

211 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

lancy  himself  forgot  indignation  for  the  moment, 
and  laughed  outright,  as  he  regarded  his  wife  to 
observe  the  manner  in  which  she  received  the  sur- 
prising information.  His  eyes  took  on  a  kindlier  ex- 
pression as  he  saw  the  change  that  gave  her  a  won- 
drously  younger  look,  and  a  rush  of  memories  caused 
him  to  smile  reminiscently,  half-sadly,  half -tenderly. 
The  effect  on  him  was  apparent  in  the  pleasanter 
voice  with  which  he  next  addressed  his  niece,  play- 
fully:  , 

"  My,  my !  She'd  be  sending  him  home  to  his 
mother,  I  expect,  if  only  he  had  a  mother." 

Cicily,  still  suffering  in  the  throes  of  a  painful 
embarrassment,  retorted  hotly : 

"  Uncle  Jim,  I'd  just  like  to  shake  you!  " 

"  Oh,  don't  mind  my  gray  hairs,"  Delancy  scoffed. 
"  And,  when  you're  done  with  me,  you  might  spank 
your  Aunt  Emma." 

That  good  woman  shook  her  head  dolorously,  as 
the  flush  died  from  her  face. 

"  I  don't  know  what  we're  coming  to,"  she 
mourned. 

"  Anarchy ! "  was  her  husband's  prompt  answer, 
as  he  mounted  again  on  his  favorite  hobby.  "  Once 


women  begin  to  believe  that  they  have  intelligence, 
anarchy  will  be  the  natural,  the  inevitable  result. 
God  never  made  them  to  think."  In  his  excitement, 
he  had  forgotten  the  manner  in  which  he  had  already 
once  offended  his  wife. 

"  Then,  why  did  God  give  women  brains?  "  Cicily 
demanded. 

"  I  can't  waste  my  time  in  arguing  with  a  woman," 
Delancy  answered  loftily,  and,  turning  away,  tugged 
superciliously  at  a  wisp  of  whisker. 

"  That's  it !  Oh,  yes,  that's  it !  "  Cicily  exclaimed, 
with  rising  indignation.  Her  embarrassment  had 
passed,  but  a  flush  remained  in  her  cheeks,  and  her 
radiant  eyes  were  alight  with  the  battle-lust.  "  You 
think  women  haven't  any  intelligence.  You  can't 
waste  your  time  arguing  with  them  !  Very  well,  then, 
I  tell  you  that  it's  you  who  haven't  the  intelligence 
to  recognize  a  new  point  of  view  —  a  new  force  in. 
the  world :  the  force  of  women's  brains  —  until  it 
shall  hit  you  in  the  face.  That's  why  I'm  holding 
out  against  Charles,  fighting  him,  to  save  him,  to 
keep  him  from  growing  into  a  narrow-minded,  hard- 
headed,  ignorant  old  fossil !  "  The  application  of 
this  explicit  description  was  not  far  to  seek.  It  was 

213 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

evident  that  Delancy  took  it  to  himself,  for  he,  in 
his  turn  at  last,  colored  rosily.  But  he  did  not  choose 
to  accept  a  personal  reference,  and  contented  himself 
with  a  bit  of  repartee: 

"  Huh,  no  fear !  He  won't  live  to  be  a  fossil. 
His  troubles  will  kill  him  off  early,  or  I  lose  my 
guess.  .  .  .  So,  that's  your  excuse  for  ruining 
bim,  is  it?  '* 

"  I'd  help  him,  if  he'd  let  me,"  Cicily  answered, 
sadly,  forgetful  of  her  indignation  against  the  sex. 

"  You  help  him !  "  Delancy  exclaimed,  mockingly. 
"  Why,  you  brought  on  the  strike." 

"  But  — "  Cicily  would  have  protested,  only  to 
be  interrupted  by  the  indignant  old  gentleman,  who 
shook  an  accusing  forefinger  at  her. 

"  You  can't  tell  me !  Yes,  you  did,  with  your  im- 
pertinent interference.  Huh!  When  women  get  to 
fooling  with  business,  we  shall  all  go  to  the  dogs. 
Why,  if  it  hadn't  been  for  you  and  for  what  you 
did  with  your  precious  *  helping,'  Charles  would  have 
had  a  chance  to  make  good  money.  Now,  Morton 
and  Carrington  are  charging  the  independent  dealers 
twenty-two  cents  a  box.  But  for  this  strike,  Charles 
might  have  induced  those  old  pirates  to  raise  their 

214. 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

price  to  him  a  little,  and  let  him  make  some  money. 
.  .  .  Help  him  —  oh,  piffle !  " 

"  Well,"  Cicily  declared,  not  a  whit  abashed,  "  if  I 
were  Charles,  I'd  start  up  again,  pay  wages,  and  sell 
to  the  independents." 

The  seriousness  with  which  the  young  woman  spoke 
for  a  moment  betrayed  Delancy  into  discussing  busi- 
ness with  one  of  the  unintelligent  sex. 

"But  his  contracts!"  he  objected. 

"  What  are  contracts,"  Cicily  interrupted  serenely, 
"  when  the  workmen  are  hungry  ?  " 

"  There,  Emma !  "  Delancy  cried,  in  deep  disgust. 
"  Do  you  hear?  Now,  isn't  that  just  like  a  woman?  " 

"Yes,  James,"  Mrs.  Delancy  answered  meekly; 
"  I  know  that  you're  right.  But,  somehow,  I  think 
Cicily,  too,  is  right." 

At  this  paradoxical  pronouncement,  Delancy 
stared  fixedly  at  his  wife  in  stark  amazement. 

"What!"  he  gasped.  "What!  After  forty 
years,  you  say  that  to  me !  You  question  my  business 
judgment!  Emma,  you,  my  wife!"  He  struggled 
wildly  for  a  few  seconds  to  gain  control  of  his  emo- 
tions. "  No,"  he  continued  bitterly ;  "  I  deserve  it 
for  forgetting  myself.  I  beg  my  own  pardon  for 

215 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

mentioning  a  word  of  business  to  a  woman.  .  .  . 
I'm  going  to  Charles  —  poor  fellow ! "  After  a 
long,  resentful  stare  directed  against  his  former  ward, 
he  marched  out  of  the  room. 

"  See  what  you've  made  me  do ! "  Mrs.  Delancy 
said  accusingly  to  her  niece,  as  the  two  were  left 
alone  together.  "  Why,  I've  actually  appeared  re- 
bellious to  James." 

"  You  ought  to  have  been  so  years  ago,"  Cicily 
rejoined,  stubbornly. 

But  Mrs.  Delancy  could  only  shake  her  head 
morosely  in  negation  of  this  audacious  idea.  Then, 
her  thoughts  reverted  to  the  young  woman's  doubtful 
position. 

"  How  is  it  all  going  to  end?  "  was  her  despondent 
query. 

"  You  mean,  when  are  Charles  and  I  going  to  make 
public  the  true  state  of  affairs?  When  are  we  going 
to  part  before  the  world?  "  The  old  lady  nodded 
acquiescence.  "  Well,  that  will  be  when  the  strike 
is  over,  and  Charles's  business  troubles  are  settled  — 
not  before." 

"  If  this  sort  of  thing  keeps  on,"  Mrs.  Delancy 
announced,  with  another  access  of  self-pity,  "  your 

216 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Uncle  Jim  and  I  probably  will  be  parted  by  that  time, 
too!" 

"Nonsense!"  Cicily  jeered,  smitten  to  sudden 
compunction  for  her  part  in  causing  distress  of  mind 
to  the  woman  whom  she  really  loved  and  honored. 
"  Why,  Auntie,  if  you  were  to  leave  Uncle  Jim, 
whom  would  he  have  to  bully?  Pooh,  dear,  you  and 
he'll  never  part." 

Again,  the  old  lady's  thoughts  veered  from  her- 
self. 

"  But,  Cicily,"  she  ventured,  "  you're  doing  your 
best  to  prolong  the  strike.  You're  actually  giving 
those  women  money,  I  know.  Yesterday,  when  I 
called  to  see  you,  I  saw  the  stub  in  your  cheque- 
book, which  was  lying  open  on  the  desk  in  your 
boudoir.  I  didn't  mean  to  pry,  but  I  couldn't  help 
seeing  it." 

"  Well,  I'm  not  letting  them  starve,"  was  the  un- 
ashamed admission. 

"  Cicily,"  Mrs.  Delancy  said,  with  an  abrupt 
transition  from  one  phase  of  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration to  another,  "  about  this  matter  of  you  and 
Charles  separating,  I  have  a  suspicion  that  you  are 
very  much  like  that  highly  improper  young  woman 

217 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

in  the  French  story,  who  was  going  to  live  with  her 
lover  as  long  as  the  geranium  lasted.  And  you're 
going  to  live  in  the  house  with  Charles  while  his 
troubles  continue.  And  that  improper  young  woman 
used  to  get  up  in  the  night,  every  night,  to  water  the 
geranium,  secretly.  And  you  are  providing  the 
strikers  with  food,  to  prolong  the  strike.  Humph! 
You  don't  want  to  go."  Cicily  blushed  a  little,  but 
attempted  no  reply.  "  You're  in  love  with  him  — 
you  know  you  are !  " 

The  young  wife's  reserve  broke  down  a  little  be- 
fore the  keen  glance  that  accompanied  the  words. 

"  I  —  oh,  I'm  interested  in  his  spiritual  develop- 
ment," she  stammered,  weakly.  "  Anyhow,"  she 
added  defensively,  "  he  —  doesn't  know  it !  " 

"  Thank  heaven,  you're  still  moral ! "  Mrs.  De- 
lancy  ejaculated,  in  accents  of  huge  relief. 

"  I  think  I  must  be,"  was  the  low-spoken  admis- 
sion, "  because  —  because  I'm  so  unhappy !  "  The 
scarlet  lips  drooped  to  a  tremulous  pathos,  as  she  went 
on  speaking  in  a  voice  of  poignant  feeling.  "  Oh, 
Aunt  Emma,  when  I  see  Charles  so  harassed,  so 
tired,  so  troubled  in  every  way,  I  just  long  to  throw 
my  arms  around  his  neck,  and  to  kiss  all  those  hard 

218 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

lines  away  from  his  dear  face,  and  to  tell  him  how 
much  I  love  him,  and  how  sorry  I  am,  and  how  much 
I  want  to  help  him." 

"  Heaven  bless  you,  child ! "  Mrs.  Delancy  ex- 
claimed, surprised  and  delighted.  "  Why  don't  you, 
then?" 

"  Because,"  came  the  gloomy  explanation,  "  if  I 
did,  I'd  be  like  you." 

The  old  lady  was  not  gratified  by  this  candid  de- 
fense. 

"  Humph !  Well,  you  might  do  worse,  if  I  do 
say  so  myself,"  she  declared,  with  a  toss  of  her  head. 

"  Of  course,  you  old  dear,"  Cicily  agreed,  with 
an  air  oif  humility,  "  in  lots  and  lots  of  ways  — 
but—" 

"  You're  obstinate !  "  came  the  tart  rebuke.  "  If 
you're  really  in  love  with  him,  give  in ! " 

"  That's  just  the  trouble,"  the  young  wife  said. 
"  Because  I'm  so  much  in  love  with  him,  I  can't  give 
in  in  this  particular.  I  love  him  too  much  to  be 
content  with  just  the  bits  of  him  that  are  left  over 
from  the  other  things.  I  want  a  partnership.  Mar- 
riage has  changed  since  your  day,  Auntie.  Real 
marriage  to-day  must  be  a  partnership  in  all  things. 

219 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

\ 

I  must  have  that,  a  full  share  in  my  husband's  life 

—  or  nothing !  I  tell  you,  there  is  too  much  of  men 
and  women  swearing  before  God  to  become  as  one, 
and  walking  away  to  begin  life  and  to  live  it  ever 
after  as  two.  It  was  all  very  well  when  the  women 
had  the  house  to  keep,  and  didn't  think;  but  nowa- 
days most  of  them  have  no  house  to  keep,  and  they 
are  beginning  to  think." 

"  But,"  Mrs.  Delancy  objected,  much  discomposed 
by  this  tirade  against  matrimony  as  she  knew  it, 
"  you're  upsetting  all  the  holy  things.  To  look  up 
to  your  husband  —  that's  love." 

"  That's  lonesomeness  and  a  crick  in  the  neck !  " 
was  the  flippant  denial.  "  My  woman  would  stand 
where  her  brains  entitle  her  to  stand,  beside  her  hus- 
band, looking  into  his  eyes,  working  for  him,  work- 
ing with  him,  being  together  with  him  straight 
through  everything.  That's  love ;  that's  real  mar- 
riage ! " 

"  Cicily,"  Mrs.  Delancy  protested,  totally  bemused 
by  her  niece's  fiery  eloquence,  "  I  think  you're  wrong, 
but  I  —  I  feel  that  you're  right." 

"  Deep  down  in  your  heart,  dear,"  the  young 
woman  asserted  with  profound  conviction,  "  you 

220 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

know  that  I'm  right,  because  j'ou're  a  real  woman. 
The  men  don't  know  it  —  poor  things !  —  but  the 
ruling  passion  of  a  woman's  life  is  usefulness.  And 
isn't  it  much  nicer  to  work  for  a  husband  whom  you 
love  than  for  the  heathen  ?  " 

Before  her  aunt  could  frame  an  adequate  answer 
to  this  very  pertinent  inquiry,  Cicily  sprang  up,  with 
the  graceful  animation  that  was  usual  with  her. 

"  And,  now,  I  must  hurry  home,"  she  announced, 
"  to  receive  Mrs.  McMahon  and  Mrs.  Schmidt  and 
Sadie  Ferguson,  who  are  coming  to  call." 

"Merciful  providence!"  Mrs.  Delancy  ejaculated, 
in  genuine  horror.  "  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  that 
those  women  come  to  your  house  now?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  was  the  nonchalant  assent.  "  Why 
shouldn't  they?  You  know,  we're  friends  again 
now.  I've  organized  them  into  a  club." 

"  Well,  I  do  not  think  it's  at  all  proper,"  the  old 
lady  said,  with  severe  decisiveness. 

But  Cicily  only  laughed  under  the  reproof,  be- 
stowed a  hasty  kiss  on  her  aunt's  cheek,  and  swept 
buoyantly  from  the  room. 


221 


CHAPTER  XIV 

WHEN  Mrs.  McMahon,  Mrs.  Schmidt  and  Miss 
Ferguson  were  ushered  into  the  drawing-room  of  the 
Hamilton  house,  Cicily  was  there,  ready  to  welcome 
her  guests  warmly. 

"And  how  is  Madam  President  of  our  club?"  she 
said  with  a  delightful  assumption  of  deference  to 
Mrs.  McMahon,  who  bridled  and  simpered  in  proud 
happiness  over  this  recognition  of  the  honor  she  en- 
joyed. 

"  Indeed,  she's  as  proud  as  a  peacock,  that  she 
is,"  she  avowed  candidly.  "  And,  if  you  noticed, 
Mrs.  Hamilton,  I  didn't  so  much  as  say  how  do  you 
do  to  the  man  at  the  door,  as  I  always  have  before, 
nor  even  so  much  as  look  at  him.  .  .  .  For 
such  is  the  high-society  way  of  it,  they're  after  telling 
me." 

Cicily  smiled,  and  then  addressed  Sadie  with  a  like 
cordiality. 

"  Everything  is  shipshape,  Miss  Secretary  ?  "  she 
inquired. 

222 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  This  club  could  go  ten  rounds  without  turning 
a  hair,"  was  the  spirited  reply.  Then,  the  ambitious 
girl  recalled  her  most  esteemed  author,  and  para- 
phrased her  statement :  "  I  mean,  everything  is  really 
quite  splendid." 

Mrs.  Schmidt,  too,  smiled  in  appreciation,  although 
without  committing  herself  to  words,  when  she  was 
addressed  as  Madam  Vice-President.  Then,  after  all 
were  seated,  the  Irishwoman  delivered  herself  of  a 
message  of  gratitude. 

"  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  she  said,  and  her  great,  round 
face  was  very  kindly,  "  we  want  to  thank  you  here 
and  now  for  that  last  cheque.  You'll  be  glad  to  know 
that  Murphy's  babies  are  fine  and  dandy;  and  those 
Dagos  —  you  know,  the  ones  in  the  sixth  floor  front 
in  Sadie's  house  —  faith,  the  wife  come  home  from  the 
hospital  last  night  looking  just  grand." 

"  And  say,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  Sadie  interrupted  en- 
thusiastically, again  forgetful  of  niceties  in  diction 
by  reason  of  her  excess  of  feeling,  "  maybe  you  ain't 
in  strong  with  that  bunch !  They  were  all  singing 
and  praying  for  you  all  last  night  to  beat  the  band. 
They  made  so  much  fuss  Pop  had  to  go  up  with  a  club, 
and  threaten  to  bust  some  heads  in  before  anybody 

223 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

could  get  to  sleep  in  the  house.  Of  course,  father 
didn't  understand.  He  heard  them  say  something 
about  Hamilton,  and  guessed  they  might  be  some 
sort  of  poor  connection  of  the  boss." 

Cicily,  pleased  by  this  information  as  to  the  grati- 
tude of  those  whom  she  had  sought  to  serve,  yet  tried 
to  change  the  subject  for  modesty's  sake. 

"  You,  Mrs.  McMahon,"  she  directed  briskly, 
"  must  be  in  charge.  You  must  let  me  know  about 
the  sick  ones  and  the  hungry  ones,  and  then  I'll  see 
what  can  be  done." 

"  'Deed,  and  I  will  that,"  was  the  eager  response. 
Then,  the  Irishwoman  shook  her  huge  head  admir- 
ingly. "  Sure,  when  the  women  get  the  votes,  you'll 
be  elected  alderman  from  the  ward."  But,  as  Cicily 
would  have  laughingly  protested  against  this  arrant 
flattery,  a  sudden  thought  came  to  the  President  of 
the  new  club,  and  she  spoke  with  an  increase  of  seri- 
ousness :  "  And,  oh,  I  was  forgetting  one  thing ! 
What  do  you  think  now,  Mrs.  Hamilton?  Carring- 
ton's  men  have  been  around !  "  In  answer  to  her 
hostess's  look  of  bewildered  inquiry,  she  explained  the 
significance  of  the  fact :  "  Yes,  Carrington  —  bad 
luck  to  him !  —  is  getting  ready  to  start  another  fac- 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

tory,  they  say ;  and,  so,  he  wanted  to  see  how  many 
of  the  boys  he  could  get."  Cicily  uttered  an  excla- 
mation of  astonishment,  mingled  with  alarm,  at  the 
news.  "  Yes,  ma'am.  I  was  talking  to  Mike  Mc- 
Mahon,  and  telling  him  that,  after  all,  I  thought  Mr. 
Hamilton  was  on  the  level,  and  that  it  would  be  a 
good  thing  to  take  the  cut  for  a  little  while.  And, 
then,  he  got  mad,  and  he  blurted  out  the  whole  thing 
to  me.  It's  Tim  Doolin,  him  what  used  to  work  in 
the  Hamilton  factory,  and  was  discharged,  and  so 
went  over  to  Carrington's.  He's  come  around  as  a 
sounder.  He's  been  advancing  the  boys  a  little  on 
the  side,  and  promising  them  good  jobs  and  steady 
wages,  if  they'll  hold  out  until  Carrington  is  ready 
to  use  them  at  his  place."  The  Amazon,  who  had 
raced  through  her  narrative,  paused,  panting  for 
breath. 

Cicily  was  tense  in  her  chair,  with  her  cheeks 
flaming  indignation,  her  golden  eyes  darkened  with 
excitement. 

"  So,"  she  exclaimed  fiercely,  "  that's  the  way  they 
are  fighting !  Shameful !  " 

Cicily  was  in  the  throes  of  a  righteous  wrath.  Un- 
accustomed to  the  sharp  practices  that  are  endured 

225 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

almost  without  rebuke  in  the  world  of  business  affairs, 
this  revelation  of  trickery  on  the  part  of  her  hus- 
band's enemies  filled  her  with  a  disgusted  horror. 
There  was  in  the  girl-wife  a  strong  quality  of  the  pro- 
tecting maternal  love  in  her  attitude  toward  her  hus- 
band. It  was  in  obedience  to  its  impelling  force  that 
she  had  followed  so  steadfastly  her  ambition  to  help 
him  in  his  business,  to  be  his  partner.  It  was  the 
dominance  of  this  feeling  that  had  caused  her  to  stay 
on  in  her  husband's  house  to  comfort  him,  and  if 
possible  to  save  him,  in  the  time  of  his  tribulation. 
So,  now,  this  phase  of  character  caused  her  to  resent 
as  something  unspeakably  vile  the  machinations  just 
revealed  to  her.  There  and  then,  she  uttered  a  silent 
vow  to  worst  these  sinister  foes  by  fair  means  or 
by  foul.  Her  will  commanded  their  undoing,  no 
matter  how  unscrupulous  the  method;  and  conscience 
voiced  no  protest. 

A  movement  of  expectancy  among  the  three  vis- 
itors aroused  Cicily  from  the  fit  of  abstraction  into 
which  she  had  fallen,  and  on  which  the  others  had 
not  ventured  to  obtrude  themselves.  She  looked  up, 
and  then,  following  the  direction  of  her  guests'  gaze, 
turned  to  see  her  husband,  standing  motionless  just 

226 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

within  the  doorway  of  the  drawing-room.  He  was 
staring  with  obvious  amazement  at  the  trio  of  women 
in  his  wife's  company.  Moreover,  it  was  easy  to 
judge  from  the  expression  on  his  face,  with  the 
brows  drawn  and  the  mouth  set  sternly,  that  his 
amazement  was  not  builded  on  pleasure. 
Cicily  immediately  rose,  forgetful  for  the  moment  of 
her  plans  for  vengeance  against  the  plotters,  and 
went  forward  with  a  pleased  smile.  She  was  well 
aware  that  her  husband  would  not  regard  this  visita- 
tion with  equanimity,  but  she  hoped  to  prevent  any 
overt  act  on  his  part  that  might  fatally  antagonize 
these  women,  whose  good  will  she  had  struggled  so 
hard  to  regain  for  his  sake.  So,  she  faced  him  with 
an  air  of  happy  self-confidence,  and  spoke  with  the 
most  musical  cadences  of  her  voice,  the  while  the 
caress  of  her  eyes  sought  to  beguile  the  frown  from 
his  face. 

"  Charles,  you  know  Mrs.  McMahon,  and  Mrs. 
Schmidt,  and  Miss  Ferguson." 

"  Yes,  I  know  them,"  came  the  uncompromising 
answer.  The  grimness  of  his  face  did  not  relax.  He 
had  had  a  day  of  tedious  worries,  and  the  sight  of 
the  women  here  in  his  own  home  exasperated  him  al- 

227 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

most  beyond  the  point  of  endurance.  "  An  unex- 
pected pleasure ! "  he  added,  with  an  inflection  that 
was  unmistakable. 

"  Oh,  we  didn't  come  to  see  you,  Mr.  Hamilton," 
Sadie  declared  resentfully,  in  answer  to  that  inflec- 
tion. "  We  came  to  see  your  wife." 

"  These  are  the  officers  of  our  new  woman's  club," 
Cicily  interposed,  hastily.  "  Do  sit  down  for  a  mo- 
ment, Charles."  She  returned  to  her  own  chair;  but 
Hamilton  made  no  movement  to  obey  her  request. 
Instead,  he  addressed  the  visitors  in  a  tone  even 
more  unpleasant  than  that  which  he  had  used  hith- 
erto. 

"  Oh,  you  came  to  get  something  from  Mrs.  Hamil- 
ton," he  sneered. 

"  Indeed,  and  we  did  not !  "  the  Irishwoman  re- 
torted roughly,  furious  at  the  insinuation.  But  her 
anger  melted  as  she  caught  Cicily's  pleading  eyes. 
There  was  a  grateful  softness  in  the  brogue  as  she 
added :  "  Sure,  she's  given  too  much  already,  and 
that's  the  truth." 

There  was  no  hint  of  relaxing  in  the  tense  severity 
of  Hamilton's  face,  as  he  replied,  without  a  glance 
toward  his  wife: 

228 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  So,  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  been  helping  the  wives  of 
the  men?  " 

"  'Tis  that  same  she's  been  doing  —  the  saints  pre- 
serve her ! "  Mrs.  McMahon  answered,  with  pious 
fervor.  "  Faith,  if  the  women  could  vote,  it's  presi- 
dent they'd  make  her,  so  it  is." 

Cicily  could  not  resist  a  temptation  to  appeal. 

"  Charles,"  she  urged,  "  if  only  you'll  have  a  little 
patience,  you'll  find  that  they  can  be  of  service  —  of 
great  service ! " 

Still,  Hamilton  ignored  his  wife  utterly,  while  he 
addressed  the  three  women  impersonally. 

"  I  did  not  know  that  the  men  were  in  the  habit  of 
using  their  wives  in  a  strike  like  this."  His  manner 
was  designedly  offensive. 

Again,  it  was  Sadie  who  was  first  to  retort,  which 
she  did  with  a  manner  that  aped  his  own  insolence. 

"  Well,  if  Mrs.  Hamilton  can  butt  into  it,  it's  a 
cinch  we  can !  " 

The  man's  face  darkened  with  wrath.  His  voice, 
when  he  spoke,  sounded  dangerously  low  and  con- 
trolled. 

"  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
my  business  affairs,"  he  declared,  explicitly.  "  She 

229 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  this  strike.  If  you 
women  come  from  the  men,  go  back  and  tell  them 
that  Fm  not  dealing  with  women  —  neither  now  nor 
in  the  future.  If  they  want  anything  at  any  time, 
let  them  come  for  it  themselves." 

"  Can  you  beat  it?  "  Sadie  demanded  wonderingly, 
of  the  universe  at  large. 

But  the  Irishwoman  took  it  on  herself  to  answer, 
with  an  explicitness  equal  to  Hamilton's  own: 

"  Faith,  and  we  didn't  come  to  see  you,  as  you 
know  very  well,  I'm  thinking.  If  it  wasn't  for  Mrs. 
Hamilton  —  God  bless  her  —  we  wouldn't  be  here  at 
all.  .  .  .  And  'tis  sorry  I  am  we  are." 

"  Then,  you'd  better  go,  and  relieve  your  feelings," 
was  the  tart  rejoinder.  "  And  you  will  please  re- 
member one  thing:  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  absolutely  no 
influence  of  any  kind  in  this  strike.  I  do  not  know 
in  the  least  what  she  may  have  been  doing ;  but,  what- 
ever it  is,  it's  entirely  apart  from  me." 

"  Charles,  please  — "  Cicily  would  have  pro- 
tested. It  seemed  to  her  a  vicious  violation  of  good 
taste  thus  to  air  their  marital  disagreements  in  the 
presence  of  others.  There  was  a  perilous  fire  in  the 
golden  eyes;  but  Hamilton  had  no  heed  just  now  for 

230 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

niceties  of  conduct.  He  went  on  speaking,  ruth- 
lessly breaking  in  on  his  wife's  attempted  plea: 

"  Whatever  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  accomplished  has 
been  done  without  my  consent  and  with  her  own 
money  —  entirely  apart  from  me.  .  .  .  Good- 
day!" 

Now,  at  last,  Hamilton  moved  from  the  position 
he  had  steadily  maintained  before  the  doorway.  He 
stepped  to  one  side,  and  bowed  formally  to  the  three 
women,  who  rose  promptly  as  they  realized  the  sig- 
nificance of  his  action.  Cicily,  too,  stood  up,  word- 
less in  her  suffering.  For  the  moment,  at  least,  her 
indomitable  spirit  was  overwhelmed  by  this  crowning 
misfortune,  and  she  felt  all  her  ambition  hopelessly 
baffled.  Through  this  last  catastrophe,  her  benevo- 
lent scheming  must  be  brought  to  nought.  It  was 
impossible  for  her  to  believe  that  these  women,  on 
whose  support  she  had  relied  for  so  much  that  was 
vital  to  her  plans,  could  remain  loyal  to  her  after  the 
gross  insult  to  which  they  had  been  subjected  in  her 
own  house.  She  realized  that,  deprived  of  their  aid, 
she  could  not  hope  to  cope  with  the  situation  that 
threatened  ruin  to  the  man  whom  she  loved.  In  that 
instant  of  disaster,  she  hated  her  husband  as  much 

231 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

as  she  loved  him,  for  his  folly  had  destroyed  all  the 
structure  of  safety  that  her  devotion  had  builded. 
So,  she  stood  silent,  watching  the  discarded  guests 
as  they  walked  toward  the  door.  Her  slender  form 
was  drawn  to  its  full  height;  the  scarlet  lips  were  set 
tensely;  the  clear  gold  of  her  eyes  burned  with  the 
fires  of  bitter  resentment  against  this  man  whose  blun- 
dering had  wrought  calamity. 


232 


CHAPTER  XV 

EVEN  as  the  three  outraged  women  moved  forward 
slowly  toward  the  door  with  that  slowness  which  their 
dignity  demanded  of  them  under  the  circumstances, 
there  came  an  interruption. 

A  servant  appeared  in  the  doorway,  and  then  stood 
aside  to  usher  in  three  newcomers.  These  were  no 
others  than  Mr.  McMahon,  Mr.  Schmidt  and  Mr. 
Ferguson,  who  halted  in  astonishment  on  the  thresh- 
old, at  beholding  their  wives  thus  unexpectedly  bear- 
ing down  on  them  in  the  house  of  the  enemy.  In 
their  turn,  the  women  came  to  an  abrupt  standstill, 
regarding  the  men  with  round  eyes.  For  a  few  sec- 
onds, the  six  remained  thus  facing  one  another,  too 
dumfounded  by  the  encounter  for  speech. 

Then,  presently,  the  German  uttered  a  guttural 
e j  aculation  in  his  own  tongue,  which  seemed  to  relieve 
the  general  paralysis. 

"  Caught  with  the  goods ! "  Ferguson  exclaimed 
sardonically,  with  a  scowl  of  rebuke  directed  toward 
his  daughter. 

233 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

At  the  same  moment,  McMahon  fairly  shouted  an 
indignant  question  at  his  wife  as  to  her  presence  in 
this  house.  But  that  Amazonian  female  did  not 
shrivel  before  the  blustering  growl  of  her  husband. 

"  Sure,  I'll  trouble  you,  Mike  McMahon,"  she  de- 
clared fiercely,  "  if  it's  endearing  terms  you're  about 
to  use,  to  wait  till  we  get  home."  Under  the  spell  of 
this  admonition,  the  Irishman  contented  himself  with 
subterranean  mutterings,  to  which  his  wife  discreetly 
paid  no  attention. 

"But  what's  it  all  about?"  Ferguson  inquired 
sharply,  of  his  daughter. 

"  Ah,  forget  it !  "  came  the  unfilial  retort.  Then, 
recalling  the  Vere  De  Vere,  she  amended  her  state- 
ment :  "  I  mean,  father  dear,  do  not  make  a  scene, 
I  beg  of  you." 

"  A  scene ! "  Ferguson  exclaimed,  savagely. 
"Why,  I'll—" 

What  the  irate  Yankee  might  have  done  was  never 
revealed,  for  he  was  interrupted  by  Cicily,  who  had 
now  recovered  her  poise,  so  that  she  spoke  pleas- 
antly, favoring  the  tumultuous  parent  with  her  sweet- 
est smile. 

"  Sadie  and  the  other  ladies  came  to  call  on  me, 
234. 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Mr.  Ferguson,"  she  exclaimed,  well  aware  that  this 
announcement  left  the  mystery  of  the  women's  pres- 
ence as  it  had  been  before. 

Mrs.  McMahon,  however,  shed  a  ray  of  light  on 
the  puzzle. 

"  Faith,  and  'tis  that,"  she  agreed,  glibly.  "  We 
just  dropped  in  for  a  cup  of  tea  with  a  member  of  our 
club." 

It  was  Hamilton  who  now  interrupted  further  ques- 
tions by  the  three  husbands.  He  had  been  nervously 
fidgeting  where  he  stood,  and  at  last  his  impatience 
found  vent  in  words. 

"  I'm  not  interested  in  these  domestic  affairs,"  he 
snapped.  "  If  you  men  have  anything  to  say  to 
your  wives  and  daughters,  take  them  home,  and  say 
it  to  them  there.  This  is  not  the  place  for  it.  There's 
only  one  thing  that  I  have  time  to  listen  to  from 
you." 

Schmidt  waddled  forward  a  pace  beyond  his  fel- 
lows, and  addressed  his  former  employer  with  the 
dignity  born  of  constituted  authority. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Hamilton,"  he  said  ponderously,  with 
his  accent  more  pronounced  than  usual  by  reason  of 
the  emotion  under  which  he  labored,  "  I  speak  as 

235 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  chairman  of  the  committee.  So,  sir,  you  will 
listen  to  us  right  here  and  now."  He  paused  for  a 
moment  to  wipe  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead 
with  an  adequately  huge  handkerchief. 

Ferguson  seized  on  the  opportunity  thus  given  to 
voice  the  rancor  that  was  in  his  heart. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  cried  excitedly,  "  you  want  to  un- 
derstand that  we're  men  !  We're  striking  —  yes ! 
But  we're  fighting  you  in  the  open,  like  men.  And 
we've  come  to  tell  you  that  we're  not  going  to  stand 
for  the  way  you  fight.  ...  Is  that  plain  enough 
for  you,  Mr.  Hamilton  ?  " 

The  amazement  of  Hamilton  over  the  charge  thus 
brought  against  him  was  undoubtedly  genuine.  He 
stepped  forward  as  if  to  strike,  but  checked  himself 
almost  instantly.  There  was  no  longer  any  look  of 
boyishness  in  the  drawn  face,  with  the  chin  thrust 
forward  belligerently,  the  brows  drawn  low,  the  eyes 
blazing. 

"  The  way  I  fight ! "  he  repeated  challengingly, 
menacingly. 

Schmidt,  having  restored  the  handkerchief  to  its 
pocket,  took  up  the  accusation. 

"  Yes,"  he  declared,  with  surly  spitefulness.  "  I 
236 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

have  been  in  a  dozen  strikes,  and  this  is  the  first  time 
any  employer  ever  attacked  me  in  my  affections  — 
through  my  Frieda."  The  German's  narrow  eyes 
were  alight  with  venomous  resentment,  as  he  glowered 
at  Hamilton. 

Astounded  by  this  attack,  Hamilton  forgot  rage 
in  stark  bewilderment. 

"  What  on  earth  do  you  —  can  you  —  mean  ?  " 
he  stormed. 

"  It  is  not  right,"  was  the  stolid  asseveration  of 
the  German.  "  The  home  is  sacred."  The  speaker's 
tone  was  so  malevolent  that  Hamilton  was  impressed, 
in  spite  of  himself.  And  then,  suddenly,  a  suspicion 
upreared  itself  in  his  brain  —  a  suspicion  so  mon- 
strous, so  absurd,  so  baseless,  so  extravagantly  im- 
possible, that  he  would  have  laughed  aloud,  but  for 
the  sincerity  of  the  feeling  manifested  in  the  faces 
of  the  men  before  him.  His  eyes  roved  from  Schmidt 
to  the  faded  woman  who  was  the  man's  wife.  He 
saw  her  shrinking  behind  the  ample  bulk  of  Mrs. 
McMahon,  her  mouth  opening  and  closing  sound- 
lessly, as  if  in  a  wordless  soliloquy.  Then,  again, 
his  eyes  returned  to  the  man  who  had  just  uttered 
the  preposterous  accusation,  and  he  beheld  the  usually 

237 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

jocund  face  distorted  by  a  spasm  of  jealous  fury, 
the  insensate  fury  of  the  male  in  the  loathed  presence 
of  a  rival.  No,  here  was  no  room  for  laughter. 
However  ludicrous  the  mistake  in  its  essence,  its 
fruits  were  too  serious  for  mirth.  He  turned  his 
gaze  on  McMahon,  and  saw  there  the  like  virile 
detestation  of  himself.  He  ventured  a  glance  to- 
ward the  Amazon,  who  loomed  over-buxom  and  stal- 
wart. Again,  he  was  tempted  to  amusement;  but, 
again,  a  look  toward  the  husband  checked  any  in- 
clination toward  lightness  of  mood.  Finally,  he  re- 
garded Ferguson,  and  there,  too,  he  beheld  a  passion- 
ate reproach.  He  did  not  trouble  to  stare  at  the 
girl.  He  remembered  perfectly  her  cheap  prettiness, 
her  mincing  manner,  her  flamboyant  smartness  of 
apparel  from  Grand  Street  emporiums  of  fashion. 
The  strain  of  a  false  situation  gripped  him  evilly,  so 
that  for  the  moment  he  faltered  before  it,  uncertain 
as  to  his  course.  Denial,  he  felt,  must  be  almost 
hopeless,  since  how  could  men  capable  of  such  crude 
stupidity  digest  reason?  He  hesitated  visibly,  and 
in  that  hesitation  his  accusers  read  guilt. 

It  was  evident  from  a  sudden,  flaming  red  that  suf- 
fused Mrs.  McMahon's  expansive  countenance  that 

238 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

she  was  beginning  to  grasp  the  purport  of  the  ac- 
cusations against  Hamilton.  She  started  toward  her 
husband  with  a  demeanor  that  augured  ill  for  peace- 
ful conference,  when  she  was  stayed  by  Cicily's  grasp 
on  her  arm. 

"  Wait !  "  came  the  command,  in  a  soothing  voice. 
"  Let  me  speak  to  these  foolish  men.  You'll  only 
stir  them  up,  and  make  them  worse."  The  Amazon 
yielded  reluctantly,  for  she  loved  as  well  as  honored 
the  woman  who  had  won  her  friendship  by  so  much 
endeavor;  but  there  was  dire  warning  of  things  to 
come  in  the  gaze  she  fixed  on  her  suspicious  husband. 

"  I'll  not  listen  to  this  foolishness  any  longer,'* 
Cicily  declared,  clearly,  in  a  cold  voice  that  held 
the  attention  of  all.  "  You  men  are  too  utterly  ab- 
surd. There's  no  love  lost  between  your  wives  and 
my  husband,  I  assure  you.  If  you  had  chanced  in  a 
few  minutes  earlier,  you  would  have  been  well  aware 
of  the  fact."  Her  statement  was  corroborated  by  the 
vehement  nods  of  the  women  and  the  glances  of  dis- 
dainful aversion  that  they  cast  on  the  master  of  the 
house  at  this  reference  as  to  the  status  of  their  mu- 
tual affection.  "  Your  wives  and  daughters,"  Cicily 
concluded  haughtily,  with  a  level  look  at  the  three 

239 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

husbands,  which  was  not  wanting  in  its  effect,  "  are 
my  friends." 

But  Ferguson  was  not  dismayed  by  the  reproof. 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  he  answered,  with  bitter 
emphasis,  "  you're  the  one  —  we  know  that !  You're 
the  cat's-paw,  with  your  clubs  and  your  benefits." 
He  turned  to  Hamilton,  and  went  on  speaking  with 
even  greater  virulence.  "  It's  through  her  that  you're 
fighting;  it's  through  her  that  you're  attacking  us 
in  our  homes;  it's  through  her  that  you're  turning 
our  wives  and  our  daughters  against  us  until  our  lives 
are  miserable  with  them,  morning,  noon  and  night. 
They're  forever  talking  against  the  strike,  trying  to 
make  us  come  back  to  you,  and  to  take  the  cut.  And 
it  ain't  fair,  I  tell  you!  No  honest  employer  would 
fight  that  way  from  behind  a  woman's  petticoats. 
Women  haven't  got  any  place  in  business,  according 
to  our  way  of  thinking.  We  didn't  mind  your  wife's 
butting  in  with  bath-tubs  and  gymnasiums  and  libra- 
ries, and  such  foolish  truck  as  that;  but,  when  it 
comes  to  mixing  up  in  the  strike,  and  organizing  our 
wives  and  daughters  against  us,  why,  we  kick.  That's 
the  long  and  the  short  of  it,  Mr.  Hamilton.  No  real 
man  would  stoop  to  that  sort  of  work.  It's  a  woman's 

240 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

trick,  that's  what  it  is  —  and  women  have  no  place 
in  business."  Schmidt  and  McMahon,  almost  in  uni- 
son, rumbled  assent. 

At  last,  the  badgered  employer  felt  himself  sure  of 
his  ground. 

"  You're  right,  Ferguson,"  he  declared,  with  in- 
tense conviction.  "  Women  have  no  place  in  busi- 
ness. You  don't  need  to  argue  to  convince  me  of 
that  fact.  If  you  doubt  my  sentiments  in  that  re- 
spect, just  ask  my  wife  —  she  knows  what  my  ideas 
on  the  subject  are.  But  I  knew  nothing  of  all  this. 
Mrs.  Hamilton  has  mixed  herself  up  with  this  affair 
entirely  without  my  knowledge  or  consent.  She  has 
nothing  whatever  to  do  with  my  business  affairs.  As 
for  the  future,  you  may  rest  assured  — 

"  You  may  rest  assured,"  Cicily  interpolated,  "  that 
Mrs.  Hamilton  will  continue  to  do  precisely  as  she 
pleases." 

"  But,  Cicily  — "  Hamilton  would  have  pro- 
tested. 

"  Precisely  as  she  pleases,"  came  the  repetition, 
with  an  added  emphasis,  which,  Hamilton  knew  from 
experience,  it  would  be  useless  to  combat. 

"  Faith,"   exclaimed  McMahon,  in  humorous   ap- 


preciation  of  the  scene,  "  the  filly  has  the  bit  in  her 
teeth  and  is  running  away." 

Cicily,  however,  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  a  frank 
exposition  of  her  position.  Now,  she  faced  the  men, 
and  made  clear  her  attitude : 

"  Let  me  tell  you  that  Mrs.  Hamilton  is  proud  to  be 
merely  a  member  of  the  club  which  you  have  heard  re- 
ferred to,  and  certainly  she  is  not  going  to  resign  her 
membership  in  it.  You  men  have  your  union. 
There's  no  reason  why  we  women  should  not  have 
our  club  as  well.  You  say  that  I've  been  helping 
them.  Very  well,  what  of  it?  Yes,  I  have  been 
helping  them.  Why  shouldn't  the  women  take 
money  from  me,  I'd  like  to  know.  For  that  mat- 
ter, it's  nothing  like  what  you  men  have  been  doing  — 
taking  money  from  Carrington  and  Morton.  .  .  . 
And  you  talk  about  fighting  fair !  " 

At  the  final  statement  made  by  his  wife,  Hamilton 
whirled  on  the  men. 

"  What's  that?  "  he  fairly  barked.  "  Are  Morton 
and  Carrington  supplying  you  fellows  with  money  to 
prolong  the  strike  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  Cicily  replied,  as  the  men  maintained  a 
sullen  silence.  "  And  these  men  of  yours  have  been 

242 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

listening  to  their  lying  promises  about  starting  a  new 
factory,  as  soon  as  you  are  down  and  out  for  keeps." 
She  eyed  the  men  scornfully,  as  she  continued: 
"  Haven't  you  the  sense  to  see  that  it's  merely  a  plan 
to  ruin  Mr.  Hamilton  completely?  They  want  to 
kill  him  off  for  good  and  all.  Then,  when  he's  out 
of  the  way,  you'll  have  to  work  for  any  sort  of  wages 
they  are  willing  to  give  you.  Good  gracious,  the 
scheme  is  plain  enough!  Why  can't  you  see  it  as  it 
is  —  a  plot  to  do  him  up  through  you  ?  A  woman 
can  see  the  inside  of  it  easily  enough !  " 

But  her  sensible  argument  was  wasted  on  the  men, 
who  already  had  their  opinions  formed,  and  were  not 
likely  to  change  them  readily  at  a  word. 

"  Women  have  no  place  in  business,"  Schmidt  re- 
iterated, heavily.  "  We  have  proved  that.  Now, 
Mr.  Hamilton,  you  just  keep  your  wife  to  yourself. 
We  don't  want  her  meddling  around  in  our  concerns. 
And  we'll  keep  our  wives  to  ourselves.  They  don't 
want  you !  "  he  added  significantly ;  and  McMahon 
and  Ferguson  endorsed  the  sentiment  by  vigorous 
nods  of  assent.  "  So,"  the  German  concluded,  "  we 
will  settle  this  strike  ourselves,  like  men,  without  any 
more  woman's  interference.  Am  I  right  ?  " 

243 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  That's  exactly  what  I  want  you  to  do,"  Hamil- 
ton replied.  "  And  any  time  you  want  to  come  back 
with  the  cut,  let  me  know." 

"  I  hope  you  won't  hold  your  breath  while  you're 
waiting,"  the  Irishman  advised  grimly. 

"  And  I  hope  you  won't  be  hungry,"  Hamilton  re- 
torted. 

With  this  exchange  of  civilities,  the  meeting  be- 
tween the  men  and  their  former  employer  came  to 
an  abrupt  end.  Without  any  further  farewells  than 
a  series  of  curt  nods,  the  men  filed  from  the  room. 

"  I'm  thinking  that  it's  a  pleasant  talk  we'll  be 
having  together,  this  night,"  Mrs.  McMahon  re- 
marked judicially,  after  the  departure  of  the  com- 
mittee. "  So,  it's  thinking  I  am  that  we'd  better  start 
early,  and  then  we'll  have  time  a  plenty  to  thrash  it 
out  with  the  boys.  Good-by,  Mrs.  Hamilton. 
And  please  to  remember  that  the  next  meet- 
ing of  the  club  is  to  be  on  the  Thursday." 

"  I'll  surely  be  there,"  Cicily  promised. 

The  adieux  were  quickly  spoken,  and  the  women 
took  their  departure,  leaving  husband  and  wife  alone 
together,  standing  silently. 


244 


CHAPTER  XVI 

HAMILTON  stirred  presently,  turned,  and  threw 
himself  heavily  into  the  nearest  chair,  whence  he 
stared  curiously  at  his  wife  with  morose  eyes  of  re- 
sentment. Cicily  felt  the  scrutiny,  but  she  did  not 
lift  her  gaze  to  his.  She  was  not  shirking  the  con- 
flict between  them,  which  seemed  inevitable  after  this 
last  episode;  but  she  was  minded  to  let  her  husband 
begin  the  attack.  In  her  turn,  she  sought  a  chair, 
into  which  she  sank  gracefully,  and  rested  in  a  pose 
of  languid  indifference  that  was  fascinating  in  itself, 
but  at  this  moment  for  some  inexplicable  reason  pe- 
culiarly aggravating  to  the  man.  It  may  be  that 
her  apparent  ease  at  a  critical  period  in  their  for- 
tunes appealed  to  him  as  hatefully  incongruous;  it 
may  be  that  the  gracious  femininity  of  her,  her  desir- 
ability as  a  woman,  thus  revealed  by  the  lissome  lassi- 
tude of  her  body,  emphasized  the  fact  that  she  was 
a  creature  created  for  joy  and  dalliance,  not  for  the 
rasping  stratagems  of  the  market-place.  Whatever 
the  cause,  it  is  certain  that  the  lazy  abandon  of  her 

245 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

posture  irritated  him,  and  it  was  with  no  attempt  to 
veil  his  chagrin  that  at  last  he  spoke : 

"  Well,"  he  exclaimed  petulantly,  "  some  more  of 
jour  work,  I  see ! " 

Cicily,  however,  disguised  the  fact  that  she  winced 
under  the  contempt  in  his  tone. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  eagerly.  "  Now,  don't  you 
see  that  I  was  right?  " 

The  device  did  not  suffice  to  divert  Hamilton  from 
his  purpose  of  rebuke. 

"  So,"  he  went  on,  speaking  roughly,  "  not  content 
with  forgetting  your  duty,  not  satisfied  with  your 
dreary  failure  as  a  wife,  you've  turned  traitor, 
too." 

"  You  seem  to  forget  that  it  was  yourself  who 
failed  in  your  duty  —  not  I,"  Cicily  retorted. 

"  Is  that  trumped  up,  farcical  idea,  your  excuse  for 
fighting  me?  " 

"  I'm  not  making  any  excuses,"  Cicily  replied,  stif- 
fly. "  And  for  the  simple  and  very  sufficient  reason 
that  I  am  not  fighting  you." 

"  Then,  what  under  heaven  do  you  call  it?  "  Ham- 
ilton demanded,  with  a  sneer.  "  Is  it  by  any  chance 
saving  me  ?  " 

246 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Yes,  I'd  do  that,"  came  the  courageous  state- 
ment, "  if  only  you'd  let  me." 

"  And  your  manner  of  doing  it,"  Hamilton  went 

on,  still  in  a  tone  of  sneering  contempt,  "  I  suppose 

would  be  by  going  on  the  way  you  have  been  going 

—  giving  money  to  my  enemies,  and  so  prolonging 

the  strike,  and  so  ruining  me !  " 

"  I  do  believe  you  are  blind ! "  Cicily  declared, 
angrily.  She  changed  her  pose  to  one  of  erect  alert- 
ness, and  her  eyes  flashed  fire  at  her  husband.  "  Is 
it  possible  that  you  don't  appreciate  why  I  gave  those 
women  money  —  why  I  helped  them  ?  Why,  I 
wouldn't  be  a  woman,  if  I  didn't.  As  I've  told  you 
before,  I  was  a  woman  before  I  became  a  wife.  If 
keeping  other  women  and  little  children  from  going 
hungry  isn't  wifely,  isn't  businesslike,  then  thank 
God  I'm  not  wifely,  not  businesslike ! " 

"  Well,  you're  not,  all  right,"  Hamilton  announced 
succinctly.  "  I'm  glad  that  you're  satisfied  with  your- 
self —  nobody  else  is." 

"  Oh,  I  know  what  you  want,"  \vas  the  contemptu- 
ous answer.  "  You  want  the  conventional,  old-time 
wife,  the  sort  that  is  always  standing  ready  and  wait- 
ing j;o  swear  that  her  husband  is  right,  even  when  her 

247 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

instinct,  her  brain,  her  heart,  all  cry  out  to  her  that 
he  is  wrong.  Well,  Charles,  I  am  not  that  sort  of 
wife,  nor  ever  will  be.  The  real  root  of  the  trouble 
is  that  we  women  are  changing,  developing,  while  you 
men  are  not:  you  are  the  same.  We,  as  a  sex,  are 
growing  up,  at  last ;  your  sex  is  standing  still.  The 
ideas  our  grandmothers  held,  the  lives  they  led,  would 
kill  us  of  dry  rot.  But  you  men  are  just  where  your 
grandfathers  were  in  relation  to  your  homes  and 
your  beliefs  as  to  the  duty  of  your  wives.  Of  course, 
your  old-time  wife  looked  up  to  her  over-lord  with 
reverence ;  she  hung  on  his  every  word  with  profound 
respect ;  she  swore  by  his  every  careless  opinion,  with- 
out ever  daring  to  call  her  soul  or  her  mind  her  own. 
For  that  matter,  why  shouldn't  she  have  done  so? 
He  was  educated,  after  some  sort  of  fashion  at  least; 
and  he  went  abroad  into  the  world,  where  he  mixed 
with  his  fellows,  where  he  did  things,  good  or  bad; 
while  she,  poor,  pretty,  ignorant  doll,  snatched  up  by 
him  in  early  girlhood,  and  afterward  kept  seques- 
tered, forced  to  assume  the  tragic  responsibilities  of 
a  wife  and  mother  before  she  was  old  enough  to  ap- 
preciate her  difficult  position  —  what  chance  did  she 
have?  Now,  to-day,  I  tell  you,  it  is  all  different. 

248 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

We're  as  well  educated  as  you  men  —  better,  often- 
times. We  have  discovered  that  we  can  think  intelli- 
gently ;  we  do  think.  We,  too,  go  abroad  into  the 
world ;  we,  too,  do  things.  Best  of  all,  we  see  with  a 
new,  clearer  vision.  And  we  see  certain  things  that 
you  men  have  become  blinded  to  through  centuries  of 
usage,  of  selfish,  careless  struggling  for  your  own 
ends.  We  are  able  to  see  with  the  distinctness  of 
truth  the  right  relation  of  the  man  and  the  woman  — 
an  equal  relation,  with  equal  rights  for  each,  with 
equal  claims  on  each  other,  with  equal  duties  to  each 
other  in  the  home  and  in  the  world  outside  the  home 
—  partners,  held  together  by  love." 

"  My  dear,"  Hamilton  remarked  dryly,  as  his 
wife  paused,  "  you  have  omitted  one  salient  qualifi- 
cation of  the  modern  woman :  she  is,  preeminently  an 
orator.  Why,  you,  yourself,  are  a  feminine  Demos- 
thenes —  nothing  less."  But  he  abandoned  his  tone 
of  raillery,  as  he  continued:  "And  so,  what 
you've  been  doing  —  that's  your  idea  of  partnership, 
is  it?" 

"  Yes,"  Cicily  declared,  spiritedly.  "  When  one 
partner  makes  a  mistake,  it's  the  duty  of  the  other  to 
set  things  straight." 

249 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"By  ruining  him!"  the  husband  ejaculated,  in 
savage  distrust. 

"  Have  I  ruined  you?  "  There  was  a  flame  of  in- 
dignation in  the  amber  eyes,  and  the  curving  lips  were 
turned  scornfully;  but  there  was  a  restrained  timbre 
of  triumph  in  the  music  of  her  voice.  "  No !  Why, 
let  me  tell  you  something :  Those  women  are  for  you, 
already.  They  are  helping  me  against  their  hus- 
bands. You'll  win  in  the  end  —  in  spite  of  all  the 
damage  you  tried  to  do  to-day  with  your  colossal 
blundering.  But  they're  loyal  to  me,  and  they'll  for- 
give you  for  my  sake,  and  they'll  give  you  the  vic- 
tory in  the  fight.  .  .  .  Just  wait  and  see !  " 

"  Nonsense !  "  Hamilton  mocked.  He  considered 
his  wife's  assertions  as  merely  the  maunderings  of  an 
extravagant  enthusiast.  She  was  sincere  —  more  the 
pity !  —  but  she  knew  absolutely  nothing  of  the  prob- 
lems with  which  she  insisted  on  entangling  herself  so 
futilely. 

"  I  promise  you,"  Cicily  persisted,  undismayed  by 
her  husband's  jeering  attitude  of  scepticism,  "  that 
you  will  win  in  the  end.  Yes,  you  will;  because  it  is 
right  that  you  should.  I  am  doing  my  part,  not  only 

250 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  help  you ;  but,  too,  because  it  is  right.  We  owe  a 
duty  not  only  to  ourselves,  but  to  those  people  aa 
well.  .  .  .  Even  you  must  see  that !  " 

"  Well,  I  don't,"  Hamilton  maintained,  con- 
sistently. But  he  winced  involuntarily  under  the  ex- 
pression of  pity  for  his  ignorance  that  now  showed 
in  his  wife's  face. 

"  Well,  it  only  serves  to  illustrate  what  I  said," 
Cicily  went  on,  with  a  complacency  that  annoyed  the 
man  almost  beyond  endurance.  "  The  woman  has  the 
clearer  visions  nowadays.  That's  where  we  differ 
from  our  dear  departed  grandmothers,  from  our 
mothers  even.  They  had  a  personal  conscience  that 
stopped  short  at  the  front  and  back  doors  of  the 
home.  We  women  of  to-day  have  a  bigger  con- 
science, which  takes  in  the  bigger  family.  It's  a  so- 
cial conscience,  and  that  it  is  which  makes  us  different 
from  those  women  of  the  earlier  generations.  Don't 
you  see,  Charles,  that  you  and  I  are  really  a  sort  of 
big  brother  and  sister  to  those  in  our  employ?  So, 
let  us  help  them,  even  if  we  have  to  do  it  against  their 
own  mistaken  efforts  of  resistance." 

"  Of  course,"  Hamilton  suggested,  still  sneeringly, 
251 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Morton  and  Carrington,  too,  are  our  dear  broth- 
ers." 

For  an  instant,  Cicily  was  nonplused  by  the  ques- 
tion; but,  of  a  sudden,  she  received  one  of  those  in- 
spirations on  which  she  usually  relied  for  escape 
from  a  predicament. 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed,"  she  replied  happily,  and  beamed 
radiantly  on  her  astonished  husband,  in  anticipatory 
enjoyment  of  her  repartee.  "  They're  our  bad  broth- 
ers, whom  we  must  spank  —  hard !  " 

"  If  there's  any  spanking  to  be  done,  I'll  attend  to 
it,  myself,"  Hamilton  declared,  gruffly. 

"  Oh,  very  well,"  Cicily  agreed.     "  But  you  don't 
seem  to  be  doing  it  effectively  at  present. 
Tell  me,  why  are  they  paying  the  men  to  stay  on 
strike?" 

"  It  must  be  that  they  recognize  the  brotherhood 
claim  of  which  you  were  speaking  so  eloquently." 
The  man's  voice  was  vibrant  with  sarcastic  indigna- 
tion. 

"  Now,  see  here,  Charles,"  Cicily  remonstrated,  the 
flush  in  her  cheeks  deepening  under  the  rebuff  in  his 
flippant  answer.  "  You  know  why  they're  doing  it 

252 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

just  as  well  as  I  do.  It's  simply  because  they  want 
to  keep  you  closed  down,  so  that  they  can  go  on 
charging  the  independents  twenty-two  cents  a  box." 

"  No,"  the  husband  declared,  enticed  despite  his 
will  into  discussing  business  for  a  moment  with  his 
wife,  "  they  could  charge  them  that  anyhow.  I 
couldn't  interfere,  because  they  have  me  tied  up  with 
a  contract  at  eleven  cents." 

"  Then,  if  I  were  you,"  Cicily  argued  with  new 
animation,  "  I'd  break  that  contract.  Yes,  I'd  open 
up  right  away,  pay  full  wages,  and  sell  to  the  inde- 
pendents at  fifteen  cents  a  box.  They'd  come  to  you 
fast  enough." 

"  Break  a  contract  with  a  trust !  "  Hamilton  jeered. 
He  laughed  aloud  over  the  folly  of  this  idea  as  a 
means  of  escape  from  disaster. 

"  What  are  contracts  when  the  men  are  starving?  " 
The  question  came  with  an  earnestness  that  did  more 
credit  to  the  heart  than  to  the  head  of  the  wife. 

"  If  that  isn't  like  a  woman !  "  The  man's  tone  was 
surcharged  with  disgust.  "  Cicily,  I've  had  enough 
of  this." 

"  Then,  you  won't  fight?  "  An  energetic  shake  of 
253 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  head  was  the  answer.  "  You  won't  help  the 
men  ?  "  Again,  the  gesture  of  refusal.  "  You  won't 
make  any  move  at  all  ?  "  A  third  time,  the  man  si- 
lently denied  her  plea.  "  Then,  I  will !  "  Cicily  con- 
cluded, defiantly.  She  leaned  back  in  her  chair, 
clasped  her  slender  hands  behind  her  head,  and  stared 
ceilingward,  with  the  air  of  one  who  has  pleasantly 
solved  all  the  perplexities  of  life. 

"  Good  heavens,  what  do  you  mean  to  do  next?  " 
Hamilton  questioned,  in  frank  alarm. 

"  Never  mind :  you'll  see,"  came  the  nonchalant  an- 
swer. 

The  contented  air  of  the  woman,  coupled  with  her 
tone  of  assurance  as  she  spoke,  goaded  the  man  to 
an  assertion  of  authority. 

"  I  demand  that,  as  long  as  you're  in  my  house  — " 

He  was  interrupted  by  the  cold  voice  of  his  wife. 
She  did  not  turn  her  eyes  from  their  dreamy  con- 
templation of  the  ceiling,  nor  did  she  alter  in  any 
way  the  languor  of  her  posture,  the  indifference  of 
her  manner.  But,  somehow,  the  quality  in  her  voice 
was  insistent,  and  the  gentle,  musical  tone  broke  on 
his  delivery  with  a  subtle  force  sufficient  to  halt  it 
against  his  will. 

254 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  You  can't  demand,"  Cicily  said,  evenly.  "  We 
stopped  that  relationship  three  weeks  ago." 

"  It  is  true,"  Hamilton  answered,  more  quietly, 
"  that  you've  refused  to  live  with  me  as  my  wife. 
But,  if  you  are  to  remain  in  my  house,  I  must  insist 
that  you  keep  out  of  meddling  with  my  business  af- 
fairs. Otherwise,  I  shall  be  forced — " 

Again,  the  softly  spoken  words  from  his  wife's 
lips  held  a  spell  that  checked  his  own,  and  compelled 
him  to  listen  grudgingly. 

"  You  cannot  force  me,  Charles  —  for  the  simple 
reason  that  I  won't  leave.  No,  indeed!  I  am  quite 
certain  that  when  you  think  things  over  in  a  saner 
mood,  you  will  be  convinced  of  the  fact  that  just  at 
this  time  it  would  be  highly  inadvisable  for  you  to 
complicate  your  affairs  further  by  a  public  scandal. 
So,  I  tell  you  that  I  sha'n't  go.  I  shall  stay  here  un- 
til you  are  out  of  this  mess.  Since  I  feel  that  to  be 
my  duty,  I  shall  do  it ! " 

"  Oh,  Lord,  if  you  were  a  man  —  !  "  Hamilton 
choked  helplessly. 

"  If  I  were  a  man,"  was  the  placid  conclusion  of- 
fered by  Cicily,  "  I  suppose  I'd  sit  still,  and  do  noth- 
ing, like  you.  But  I'm  not  a  man,  thank  Heaven! 

255 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

The  only  pity  is,  you  won't  take  my  per- 
fectly good  advice." 

"  Your  advice  —  oh,  the  devil !  "  Hamilton  sprang 
from  his  chair.  His  face  was  distraught,  as  he  stood 
for  a  moment  staring  in  baffled  anger  at  his  wife,  who 
still  held  her  eyes  meditatively  content  on  the  ceiling. 
He  clenched  his  hands  fiercely,  and  shook  them  in 
impotent  fury.  "  Your  advice ! "  he  repeated,  in  a 
voice  that  was  nigh  moaning.  Then,  he  whirled 
about,  and  strode  from  the  room,  trampling  heavily. 

Cicily  listened  until  she  heard  the  door  of  the  li- 
brary slam  noisily.  In  the  interval,  she  retained  her 
attitude  of  consummate  ease.  But,  with  the  sound  of 
the  closing  door,  she  was  suddenly  metamorphosed. 
Her  eyes  drooped  wearily.  She  cowered  within  the 
chair  as  one  stricken  with  a  vertigo.  The  slender 
hands  unclasped  from  behind  her  head,  and  shut 
themselves  over  her  face.  Her  form  was  bowed  to- 
gether, and  shaken  violently.  There  came  the  sound 
of  muffled  sobs. 


256 


CHAPTER  XVII 

IN  the  days  that  followed,  Ciclly  found  herself  on 
the  very  verge  of  despair.  She  had  pinned  the  hope 
of  success  for  her  husband  on  a  restored  influence 
with  the  wives  of  the  leaders  in  the  strike.  She  had 
felt  confident  that,  with  them  fighting  in  her  behalf, 
she  would  achieve  victory.  She  had  not  doubted  that 
these  women  could  mold  the  men  to  their  will.  Now, 
however,  she  had,  to  a  great  extent,  lost  faith  in  the 
efficacy  of  this  method.  She  had  seen  and  heard  those 
husbands  defy  their  womankind  openly.  They,  too, 
were  obstinate  in  their  belief  that  women  should  not 
obtrude  into  business  affairs.  She  realized  that  she 
was  combating  one  of  the  most  tangible  and  potent 
factors  in  human  affairs,  the  pride  of  the  male  in  his 
dominion  over  the  female  —  an  hereditary  endow- 
ment, a  thing  of  natural  instinct,  the  last  and  most 
resistant  to  yield  before  the  presentations  of  reason. 
The  resolute  fashion  in  which  her  husband  held  to  his 
prerogative  of  sole  control  was  merely  typical.  These 
other  men  of  a  humbler  class  were  like  unto  him. 

257 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Evidently,  then,  she  must  contrive  some  other  strat- 
egy, if  she  would  save  her  husband  from  the  pit  he 
had  digged  for  himself  by  yielding  to  the  specious 
processes  of  Morton  and  Carrington.  Yet,  she  could 
imagine  no  scheme  that  offered  any  promise  of  suc- 
cess. .  .  .  She  grew  thinner,  so  that  her  loveli- 
ness took  on  an  ethereal  quality.  Her  nights  were 
well  nigh  sleepless;  her  days  became  long  hours  of 
harrowing  anxiety. 

She  was  sitting  in  her  boudoir  late  one  afternoon, 
still  revolving  the  round  of  failure  in  her  plans.  She 
had  dressed  to  go  out;  but,  at  the  last  moment,  a 
wave  of  discouragement  had  swept  over  her,  and  she 
had  sunk  down  on  a  couch,  moodily  feeling  that  any 
exertion  whatsoever  were  a  thing  altogether  useless. 
She  was  disturbed  from  her  morbid  reflections  by  the 
entrance  of  a  servant,  who  announced  the  presence  of 
Mr.  Morton  and  Mr.  Carrington  in  the  drawing- 
room,  who  had  called  to  see  Mr.  Hamilton.  In  sheer 
desperation,  with  no  precise  idea  as  to  her  course, 
Cicily  resolved  to  interview  these  callers,  since  her 
husband  had  not  yet  returned  home.  So,  she  bade 
the  servant  inform  the  gentlemen  that  Mr.  Hamilton 
was  expected  to  return  very  soon,  and  that  in  the 

258 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

meantime  she  would  be  glad  to  give  them  a  cup  of 
tea.  As  soon  as  the  servant  had  left  the  room,  she 
regarded  herself  minutely  in  the  mirror,  made  some 
adjustments  to  the  masses  of  her  golden  brown  hair, 
pinched  her  pale  cheeks  until  roses  grew  in  them, 
observed  that  her  skirt  hung  properly,  and  then  de- 
scended to  the  drawing-room,  which  she  entered  with 
an  air  of  smiling  hospitality,  of  luminous  loveliness, 
of  radiant  youthfulness,  calculated  to  beguile  the 
sternest  of  men  from  their  habitual  discretion. 

The  two  gentlemen  rose  to  greet  her  with  every  in- 
dication of  pleasure.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  en- 
joyed the  charm  that  radiated  from  the  beautiful 
young  woman,  but,  in  addition,  they  rejoiced  in  this 
opportunity  to  gather  from  her  carelessness  some  in- 
formation that  the  reserve  of  her  husband  would  cer- 
tainly have  withheld.  It  was  with  deliberate  sugges- 
tion that  Morton  addressed  her  heartily  as  "  Mrs. 
Partner,"  having  in  mind  a  former  interview,  in  which 
she  had  so  declared  herself.  But  it  was  Carrington 
who,  after  the  three  were  seated,  and  while  waiting 
for  the  tea-equipage,  ventured  to  introduce  the  topic 
of  his  desires  directly  by  asking  how  business  was. 

"  Oh,  business  is  booming !  "  Cicily  answered,  with 
259 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

such  a  manner  of  enthusiasm  that  it  hoodwinked  her 
hearers  completely.  They  uttered  ejaculations  of 
surprise  involuntarily,  but  managed  to  refrain  from 
any  more  open  expressions  of  wonder.  "  Oh,  yes, 
indeed !  "  Cicily  continued,  following  blindly  an  in- 
stinct of  prevarication  that  had  been  suddenly  born 
within  her  brain.  "  Isn't  it  splendid?  We  just 
ended  our  strike  to-day."  She  stared  intently  at  Car- 
rington  with  sparkling  eyes.  It  filled  her  with  secret 
delight  to  witness  the  expression  of  consternation  on 
that  gentleman's  face;  and  she  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  to  add  maliciously,  although  she  veiled 
her  voice :  "  I  know  that  you're  glad  for  us,  Mr. 
Carrington.  I  can  just  tell  it  by  looking  at  you." 

"  Er  —  oh  —  yes,  of  course,"  Carrington  stam- 
mered hastily,  the  while  he  attempted  a  wry  smile. 
He  pulled  his  handkerchief  from  a  pocket,  and  wiped 
his  forehead. 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  we're  both  delighted,"  Morton  added 
quickly,  to  cover  the  too  evident  confusion  of  his  as- 
sociate. 

"  Ah,"  Cicily  went  on  gloatingly,  turning  the  iron 
in  the  wound  relentlessly,  "  it  does  surely  make  you 
feel  good  when  you  win  a  strike,  doesn't  it?  Next 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  an  Easter  hat,  I  think  the  winning  of  a  strike  is 
the   grandest   sensation !  " 

"  So,  you  really  won? "  Morton  inquired,  half- 
suspiciously. 

"  Oh,  yes ! "  Cicily  assured  him,  with  an  inflection 
of  absolute  sincerity.  Then,  abruptly,  the  expression 
of  her  face  changed  to  one  of  alarm,  mingled  with 
caj  olery.  "  But,  please,  Mr.  Morton,"  she  pleaded, 
"  you  won't  say  anything  about  it,  will  you  ?  Charles 
doesn't  wish  to  have  it  announced  just  yet,  for  some 
reason  or  another." 

"  No,  certainly  not,  Mrs.  Hamilton,"  Morton  as- 
sured her.  "  We  won't  tell  of  it." 

"  Thank  you  so  much !  "  was  the  grateful  response ; 
and  Cicily  fairly  dazzled  the  puzzled  gentlemen  by 
the  brilliancy  of  her  smile.  "  You  know,"  she  con- 
tinued mournfully,  "  Charles  did  scold  me  so  after 
you  were  here  that  other  time  when  I  talked  to  you. 
He  scolded  me  really  frightfully  for  talking  so  much. 
.  .  .  It  didn't  do  a  bit  of  good  my  telling  him 
that  I  didn't  say  a  thing.  But  I  didn't,  did  I?" 
She  asked  the  question  with  the  ingenuous  air  of  an 
innocent  child,  which  imposed  on  the  two  men  com- 
pletely. 

261 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Indeed,  you  didn't !  "  Morton  declared  with  much 
heartiness,  as  he  darted  a  monitory  glance  toward 
Carrington.  "  Why,  for  a  business  woman,  I  thought 
you  a  very  model  of  discretion,  Mrs.  Hamilton.  And 
so  did  Carrington  —  eh,  Carrington  ?  " 

"  Exactly !  "  Carrington  agreed  under  this  urging 
of  his  master.  "  If  all  women  in  business  were  like 
Mrs.  Hamilton  here,  business  would  not  be  so  diffi- 
cult." 

Cicily  felt  the  sneer  in  the  words,  but  she  deemed 
it  the  part  of  prudence  to  conceal  any  resentment. 
On  the  contrary,  she  assumed  a  hypocritical  air  of 
triumph. 

"Good!  I'll  tell  that  to  Charles,"  she  declared, 
joyously.  "  You  know  he's  such  a  horribly  sus- 
picious person  that  he  doesn't  trust  anyone."  Once 
again,  she  turned  to  Morton  with  an  alluring  smile. 
"  Of  course,  he  ought  to  be  very  glad,  indeed,  to 
trust  you,  his  father's  oldest  friend." 

"  I  hope  that  you  told  him  that,"  Morton  replied 
primly,  albeit  he  was  hard  put  to  it  to  prevent  him- 
self from  chuckling  aloud  over  the  naivete  of  this  in- 
discreet young  woman. 

Cicily  maintained  her  mask  of  guilelessness. 
262 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  did !  .  .  .  He  said  that  was 
why  he  didn't  trust  you." 

Morton  saw  fit  to  change  the  rather  delicate  sub- 
ject. 

"  It  must  be  a  matter  of  great  satisfaction  that 
you  have  at  last  won  this  strike,"  he  remarked,  some- 
what inanely. 

"  Of  course,  it  is,"  Cicily  agreed,  with  a  renewal 
of  her  former  enthusiasm.  "  Oh,  I'm  so  glad,  be- 
cause now  we  can  pay  our  men  their  old  wages ! 
That's  how  we  won  the  strike,  you  know,"  she  went 
on,  with  a  manner  of  simplicity  that  was  admirably 
feigned;  "just  by  giving  in  to  them.  All  we  had 
to  do  was  to  give  them  what  they  wanted,  and  every- 
thing was  all  settled  right  away." 

"  Ahem !  "  Morton  cleared  his  throat  to  disguise 
the  laugh  that  would  come.  "  Yes,  I've  known  a  good 
many  strikes  that  were  won  in  that  same  way." 

Carrington,  who  had  been  ruminating  with  a  puz- 
zled face,  now  voiced  his  difficulty. 

"  To  save  my  life,"  he  exclaimed  to  Morton, 
"  I  don't  see  how  Hamilton  can  pay  the  old  wages, 
and  deliver  boxes  at  eleven  cents.  I  couldn't  do 
it!" 

263 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Why,  you  see,  that's  just  it,"  Cicily  declared 
blithely,  still  following1  her  inspiration  with  blind 
faith.  "  We're  not  going  to  deliver  boxes  at  eleven 
cents." 

At  this  amazing  statement,  the  two  men  first  re- 
garded their  hostess  in  sheer  astonishment,  then  stared 
at  each  other  as  if  in  search  of  a  clue  to  the  mystery 
in  her  words.  The  entrance  of  a  maid  with  the  tea- 
tray  afforded  a  brief  diversion,  as  Cicily  rose  and 
seated  herself  at  the  table,  where  she  busied  herself  in 
preparing  the  three  cups.  When  this  was  accom- 
plished, and  the  guests  had  received  each  his  portion, 
Carrington  at  once  reverted  to  the  announcement  that 
had  so  bewildered  him. 

"  You  say,  you're  not  going  to  deliver  boxes  for 
eleven  cents  ?  "  he  said,  tentatively. 

"  No,"  Cicily  replied  earnestly,  without  the  slight- 
est hesitation ;  "  we're  going  to  sell  to  the  independ- 
ents at  fifteen.  We've  gone  in  with  them,  now." 
She  felt  a  grim  secret  delight  as  she  observed  the 
unmistakable  confusion  with  which  her  news  was  re- 
ceived by  the  two  men  before  her. 

"  You  say  you've  gone  in  with  the  independents  ?  " 
Carrington  repeated,  helplessly.  His  mouth  hung 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

open  in  indication  of  the  turmoil  in  his  wits  as  he 
waited  for  her  reply. 

"  Yes,  that's  it !  "  Cicily  reiterated,  with  an  inflec- 
tion of  surpassing  gladness  over  the  event.  "  Oh, 
it  does  make  me  so  happy,  because  now,  you  see,  we 
can  all  be  genuinely  friendly  together.  We're  not 
competitors  any  more." 

But  now,  at  last,  Morton's  temper  overcame  his 
caution.  He  turned  to  Carrington  with  a  frown  that 
made  his  satellite  quake;  but  the  fierceness  of  it  was 
not  for  that  miserable  victim  of  his  machinations:  it 
was  undoubtedly  for  Hamilton,  who,  according  to  the 
wife's  revelations,  dared  pit  himself  against  the  trust 
by  violating  his  contracts  with  it. 

"  We'll  see  Meyers  about  this,"  Morton  declared, 
savagely.  "  So,  he'd  go  in  with  the  independents, 
would  he?  Well,  let  him  try  it  on  —  that's  all !  " 

Cicily  stared  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  two  men, 
with  her  golden  eyes  wide  and  frightened. 

"  Oh,"  she  stammered  nervously,  "  did  I  —  have 
I  said  anything?  .  .  .  Oh,  my  goodness,  Charles 
will  be  so  angry !  " 

She  maintained  her  attitude  and  expression  of  acute 
distress,  while  the  two  men  rose,  and,  very  rudely, 

265 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

without  a  word  of  excuse  to  their  hostess,  moved  to 
the  far  end  of  the  drawing-room,  where  they  were 
out  of  earshot.  But,  on  the  instant  when  their  backs 
were  turned,  the  volatile  young  wife  cast  off  her  mock 
anxiety,  and,  in  the  very  best  of  spirits,  wrinkled  her 
nose  saucily  at  the  disturbed  twain.  .  .  .  And, 
as  long  as  they  conferred  together,  with  no  eyes  for 
her,  she  sat  alertly  erect,  smiling  to  herself,  as  one 
highly  gratified  by  the  course  of  events. 

"  Now,  if  only  Charles  doesn't  spoil  things  again !  " 
she  murmured. 


266 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

MORTON  and  Carrington  were  just  finishing  their 
low-toned,  but  very  animated,  conference  at  the  end 
of  the  drawing-room,  when  their  attention,  together 
with  that  of  Cicily,  was  attracted  by  a  noise  at  the 
door.  All  three  looked  up,  to  see  Hamilton  striding 
into  the  room.  Behind  him  came  Delancy.  At  a 
gesture  of  warning  from  his  wife,  Hamilton  faced 
about,  and  saw  his  two  business  foes. 

"  Well,  well,  I  didn't  know  that  you  were  here,"  he 
exclaimed,  with  a  fair  showing  of  cordiality,  as  he 
advanced,  and  shook  hands  with  the  visitors.  De- 
lancy contented  himself  with  bowing  to  each  in 
turn,  then  went  to  Cicily,  and  asked  for  a  cup  of  tea. 
During  the  few  moments  spent  in  offering  this  hos- 
pitality, Cicily  whispered  rapidly  to  the  old  gentle- 
man, who  appeared  mightily  startled  at  her  words. 

"  Mrs.  Hamilton  has  been  entertaining  us  again," 
Morton  remarked,  in  an  acid  tone,  to  his  host. 
"  Really,  she  has  been  rather  more  interesting  than 
she  was  before." 

267 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

At  this  statement,  Hamilton  shifted  uneasily.  He 
turned  an  indignant  stare  on  his  wife,  wondering  dis- 
mally what  new  imbroglio  had  been  precipitated  by 
her  lack  of  restraint. 

"  Oh,  you  needn't  look  at  me  in  that  fashion," 
Cicily  objected,  with  a  pout.  "  I  didn't  say  any- 
thing this  time,  either.  I  only  ftold  them  about  our 
winning  the  strike,  and — " 

"  What ! "  Hamilton  brought  out  the  word  like  a 
pistol-shot. 

"  Surely,  you  couldn't  mind  my  telling  them  that," 
Cicily  said,  in  a  voice  suspiciously  demure.  "  And 
that's  all  I  told  them,  except  — " 

"  Except  what?  "  Hamilton  fairty  shouted. 

"  Why,  except  about  the  contracts  to  do  the  work 
for  the  independents  at  fifteen  cents  —  that's  all." 

"  You  —  you  told  them  that !  "  the  astounded  hus- 
band gasped.  He  whirled  toward  Morton.  "  Why, 
it  isn't  so,  Mr.  Morton  —  not  a  word  of  it!  You 
must  realize  that  it  isn't  —  that  it  couldn't  be  so." 

Morton,  however,  was  not  convinced  by  the  earnest- 
ness of  the  young  man's  repudiation.  Instead,  he 
looked  his  host  up  and  down  with  a  sneering  scrutiny 
that  was  infinitely  galling. 

268 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  I  see,"  he  said  harshly,  "  that  you're  just  like 
your  father  before  you.  He  could  always  manage  to 
contrive  some  way  by  which  to  accomplish  his  ends, 
without  being  over-troubled  with  scruples.  Only,  he 
would  never  have  confided  his  business  secrets  to  a 
woman." 

Hamilton  turned  reproachful  eyes  on  his  wife. 

"  Cicily,"  he  cried  entreatingly,  "  I  want  you  to 
tell  Mr.  Morton  — " 

But  that  resourceful  woman  interrupted  him.  Her 
face  showed  a  shocked  amazement,  as  she  spoke 
swiftly : 

"  Charles,  do  you  mean  that  you  want  me  to  —  ?  " 
She  did  not  finish  the  sentence ;  but  the  inference  was 
so  plain  that  Morton  did  not  hesitate  to  make  use 
of  it. 

"  Trying  to  make  your  wife  lie  for  you  won't  do 
any  good,  Hamilton,"  he  advised,  disagreeably. 

But,  if  Hamilton  had  been  perplexed  before,  he 
was  now  suddenly  dazed  by  the  inexplicable  conduct 
of  Delancy,  who  advanced  nimbly  from  the  tea-table, 
caught  Hamilton  by  the  arm,  and  drew  him  apart 
a  little.  He  spoke  hurriedly,  in  a  low  voice,  but  in- 
tentionally pitched  so  that  Morton  could  overhear. 

269 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  It's  no  good,  my  boy,"  he  declared,  warningly. 
"  You  see,  the  fact  of  the  matter  is,  you're  caught  — 
caught  with  the  goods  on,  as  the  police  say.  And, 
when  you're  caught  with  the  goods,  don't  waste  time 
in  lying.  It  makes  a  bad  business  worse,  that's  all." 
Having  uttered  these  extraordinary  words  of  advice 
to  his  marveling  nephew,  the  old  gentleman  turned 
jauntily  on  the  seething  Morton.  "  Well,  what  are 
you  going  to  do  about  it?  "  he  demanded,  compos- 
edly. 

Morton,  frantic  over  the  trickery  that,  as  he  be- 
lieved, had  been  attempted  against  him,  made  no  pre- 
tense of  suavity  in  this  emergency.  In  his  vindictive- 
ness,  he  spoke  with  a  candor  unusual  to  him  in  his 
business  dealings. 

"  Do  ?  "  he  rasped.  "  I'll  show  you  mighty  quick 
what  I'll  do!  You  seem  to  forget,  Hamilton,  that 
we  have  a  contract  with  you.  You  are  under  agree- 
ment with  us  to  put  all  your  work  out  for  us  at  eleven 
cents  a  box." 

Hamilton  would  have  entered  a  violent  protest 
against  any  purpose  of  evading  his  obligations;  but 
Delancy  silenced  the  young  man  by  an  imperative 
gesture,  and  took  it  on  himself  to  reply,  bearing  in 

270 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

mind  the  whispered  directions  of  his  niece.  He  ad- 
dressed Morton  in  a  condescending  fashion  that  was 
unspeakably  annoying  to  that  important  personage. 

"  I  never  heard  of  any  such  contract,"  he  declared 
blandly,  "  and  I  have  a  bit  of  money  invested  in  the 
plant,  too.  .  .  .  Has  he  one,  Charles  ?  " 

"  He  has  a  verbal  one,"  Hamilton  answered,  more 
and  more  bewildered  by  the  progress  of  affairs.  "  He 
wouldn't  give  a  written  one." 

"  Huh !  A  verbal  agreement !  "  Delancy  sniffed. 
"  Well,  Morton,  may  I  ask  how  you  are  going  to 
work  to  prove  this  verbal  agreement?  " 

"  We'll  show  that  he  did  the  work  at  that  price," 
was  the  aggressive  answer.  "  That  will  suffice." 

"  Very  good,"  Delancy  said,  judicially.  "  Only, 
Morton,  I  venture  to  predict  that  you  can't  prove 
your  verbal  contract  —  not  by  any  manner  of  means. 
Who  was  with  you  at  the  time  when  that  ver- 
bal agreement  was  made  between  you  and  Hamilton, 
as  you  allege?  " 

Carrington,  who  had  been  almost  as  greatly  puz- 
zled over  the  course  of  affairs  as  was  Hamilton,  now 
perceived  something  that  was  definitely  within  his  own 
knowledge. 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"Mr.  Morton  and  I  were  together,"  he  vouchsafed. 

"  And,  so,  you  met  the  two  Hamilton  partners  ?  " 
Delancy  queried. 

Both  Morton  and  Carrington  denied  that  the  wife 
had  been  present  at  the  interview. 

"  I  have  an  idea,"  Delancy  continued  imperturba- 
bly,  "  that  Mrs.  Hamilton  here  would  be  quite  willing 
to  go  on  the  stand  and  swear  that  she  was  present 
at  the  interview  with  her  husband,  to  which  you  have 
referred.  From  something  she  has  let  drop  to  me, 
I  have  a  very  strong  impression  to  this  effect." 
There  was  a  whimsicality  in  the  old  gentleman's  tone 
that  none  save  his  niece  marked. 

"  But  I  tell  you,"  Carrington  vociferated,  "  she 
wasn't  there ! " 

"  I  hardly  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  it,"  Cicily 
interpolated  languidly,  from  her  place  at  the  tea- 
table.  "  I  remember  it  all  quite  perfectly."  There 
was  a  smothered  ejaculation  from  Morton,  which 
sounded  almost  profane;  Carrington's  eyes  were 
widely  rounded  as  he  stared  at  his  hostess.  "  Yes," 
she  went  on,  her  musical  voice  gently  casual  in  its 
modulations,  "  I  remember  it  so  well,  because  it  was 
the  day  after  —  after  —  oh,  well,  after  something 

272 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

or  other!  I  shall  remember  what  presently.  And  I 
wore  — " 

"  Never  mind  all  that,"  Delancy  interrupted.  "  It 
doesn't  matter  wliat  you  wore,  or  whether  you  wore 
anything,  or  not." 

"  Uncle  Jim,"  Cicily  cried,  horrified.  On  this  oc- 
casion, the  emotion  in  her  voice  was  wholly  genuine. 

But  Delancy  was  in  a  combative  mood,  and  eager 
to  get  on  with  the  fight  toward  which  he  had  been 
guided  involuntarily  by  the  whispered  instructions  of 
his  niece. 

"  Morton,"  he  inquired  briskly,  "  have  you  read 
those  recent  decisions  of  Bischoff's  on  unfair  con- 
tracts? "  Then,  as  the  other  shook  his  head  in  sullen 
negation,  the  old  gentleman  went  on  complacently: 
"  Well,  I  have  —  every  word !  Incidentally,  the  last 
one  was  against  myself,  so,  naturally,  I  took  a  rather 
keen  interest.  Especially,  as  the  Court  of  Appeals 
has  just  sustained  it.  ...  It  happens,  there- 
fore, that  I  know  what  I'm  talking  about." 

"  If  it's  fight  you  want,  you'll  get  it  —  more  than 
you  want,  I  fancy,"  Morton  growled.  "  We'll  put 
the  price  down  to  nine  cents,  and  break  you." 

"  You  might  as  well  put  your  price  down  to  eight 
273 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

cents,  while  you're  about  it,"  Delancy  retorted,  with 
a  chuckle.  "  You  see,  your  price  won't  really  matter 
a  particle  to  us,  since  we  have  a  fair  —  notice,  please, 
that  I  said  fair  —  contract  at  fifteen  cents  for  five 
years,  with  a  privilege  of  renewal  at  the  same  terms. 
Oh,  yes,  put  your  price  down  to  eight  cents,  by  all 
means ! " 

Carrington's  face  turned  purple,  as  he  heard  the 
fleering  announcement  of  his  rival's  success,  and  Mor- 
ton betrayed  signs  of  a  consuming  anxiety. 

"  Have  you  such  a  contract?  "  he  questioned,  more 
mildly  than  he  had  spoken  hitherto. 

Delancy  turned  to  face  Hamilton,  and  put  the  ques- 
tion bluntly. 

"  Have  we,  Charles  ?  "  There  was  no  reply  forth- 
coming from  the  distracted  young  man,  only  a  burst 
of  sardonic  laughter.  It  seemed  to  him  clear  that 
everyone  had  gone  mad  together.  Quickly,  then,  the 
old  gentleman  directed  the  question  to  his  niece. 
"  Have  we,  Mrs.  Partner  ?  " 

"  You  bet  we  have ! "  Cicily  answered  on  the  in- 
stant, inelegantly,  but  with  convincing  emphasis. 

A  faint  ray  of  illumination  stole  into  the  mental 
274. 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

blackness  of  Hamilton.  Under  its  influence,  he  ad- 
dressed Morton  with  a  half -sneer: 

"  Do  you  think  any  man  would  have  the  nerve  to 
try  bluffing  on  a  thing  like  that  ?  "  In  his  thoughts 
there  was  a  forceful  emphasis  on  the  word  "  man," 
but  he  carefully  avoided  letting  it  appear  in  the 
spoken  word. 

There  followed  a  lengthy  and  acrimonious  debate 
among  the  men,  to  which  Cicily  listened  with  an  air 
of  half-amused,  half-bored  tolerance.  She  was,  in 
fact,  thrilling  with  delight  over  her  inspiration,  which 
had  at  last  come  after  such  long  waiting.  She  felt 
an  intuitive  conviction  that  her  ruse  would  win  the 
battle  for  her  husband's  success.  She  need  worry  no 
more  over  the  powerlessness  of  her  women  allies  to 
bend  the  husbands  to  their  will.  Hereafter,  she 
would  retain  the  friendship  of  those  worthy  women, 
but  without  any  ulterior  object  beyond  their  own  wel- 
fare. It  appealed  to  her  as  vastly  more  fitting  that 
triumph  should  come  from  duping  these  men,  who 
were  her  husband's  enemies,  who  would  have  ruined 
him  by  their  schemes,  but  for  her  intervention  with 
a  woman's  wiles  where  man's  vaunted  sagacity  had 

275 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

proved  itself  utterly  at  fault.  The  sincerity  of  her 
belief  had  sufficed  in  a  minute  to  win  the  cooperation 
of  Uncle  Jim,  that  most  determined  opponent  to 
woman's  intrusion  on  business  affairs.  He  had  lis- 
tened to  her  suggestion  at  the  tea-table,  at  first  with 
scornful  displeasure  over  her  venturing  an  opinion 
of  any  sort  on  business.  Then,  as  he  comprehended 
the  purport  of  her  scheme,  his  instinct  for  finesse 
had  caused  him  to  seize  on  it  impetuously,  to  act  upon 
it  immediately.  .  .  .  Surely,  Cicily  thought, 
since  Uncle  Jim  had  been  won  over,  there  remained 
only  the  working  out  of  details  to  insure  a  glorious 
victory  —  her  victory  for  Charles ! 

She  aroused  herself  from  her  abstraction  with  a 
start  of  alarm  as  she  heard  Morton  crying  out  de- 
fiance. 

"  I  tell  you,"  he  was  saying  heatedly,  "  those  in- 
dependent people  have  contracts  with  us.  All  this 
plotting  of  yours  is  just  damned  foolishness  —  I  beg 
your  pardon,  Mrs.  Hamilton."  The  enraged  capi- 
talist flushed  with  new  annoyance,  for  he  prided  him- 
self greatly  on  the  elegance  of  his  manners,  and  it 
horrified  him.  that  he  should  have  so  far  forgotten 

276 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

himself  as  to  swear  in  the  presence  of  a  lady.  "  But 
they've  no  place  in  business  anyhow ! "  he  thought  to 
himself  consolingly. 

"  Oh,  don't  mention  it !  "  Cicily  answered,  with  an 
air  of  unconcern.  To  herself,  she  was  reflecting 
amusedly  on  how  much  greater  than  the  offender 
knew  was  his  discourtesy  toward  herself,  since  she  it 
was  who  was  the  author  of  that  "  damned  foolishness  " 
to  which  he  had  so  feelingly  referred. 

But  Delancy  had  no  time  to  fritter  away  on  niceties 
of  etiquette. 

"  Oh,  no,  Morton  !  "  he  scoffed.  "  Johnson  of  the 
independents  told  me  that  you  never  gave  them  con- 
tracts, except  for  each  lot.  You  see,  that's  how  we 
got  in  on  the  deal." 

"  Yes,  that's  how  we  got  in,"  Cicily  echoed,  in  a 
gentle  murmur.  There  was  an  infinity  of  satisfac- 
tion in  her  voice. 

"  We'll  make  them  break  with  you,"  Carrington 
shouted,  roughly. 

"  Just  try  it !  "  taunted  Hamilton,  who,  at  last, 
found  himself  embarked  on  this  mad  adventure  in 
chicanery. 

277 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  I  have  five  millions  in  negotiable  securities,'*  De- 
lancy  added.  "  I'm  willing  to  spend  every  penny  of 
it  in  *  busting '  you,  if  you  try  it." 

Hamilton  now  took  up  the  argument,  with  a  spirit 
that  delighted  the  listening  wife.  It  was  evident  to 
her  that  he  had  grasped  the  significance  of  her  deceit, 
and  was  enthusiastic  in  following  it  up  to  the  best  of 
his  ability. 

"  So,"  he  said  to  Morton,  "  you  fancy  that  you 
can  make  the  independents  leave  us!  Well,  you'll 
learn  your  mistake  presently.  Do  you  suppose  for 
a  minute  that  they'll  pass  us  up,  when  we  offer  a  fair 
contract  for  fifteen  cents,  to  deal  with  you,  after 
you've  just  put  the  price  up  to  twenty-two?  Non- 
sense !  '* 

Morton  raised  an  imperatively  restraining  hand 
as  Carrington  was  about  to  splutter  some  threat.  Of 
a  sudden,  the  diplomatic  man  of  affairs  resumed  his 
gracious,  suave  bearing;  and  his  voice  was  agreeably 
modulated  when  he  spoke: 

"  Gentlemen,  it  seems  to  me  that  we're  arguing  a 
great  deal,  needlessly.  Now,  you  know,  both  of  you, 
that  I  always  liked  old  Charley  Hamilton.  Well,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  I'm  delighted  to  discover  that  his 

278 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

son  here  has  the  same  quality  of  business  ability. 
So,  my  boy,  why  shouldn't  you  come  in  with  us? 
There's  ample  future  for  brains  with  us. 
Of  course,  I'm  saying  this  on  the  supposition  that 
everything  is  just  as  you  have  represented  it."  The 
cold  caution  of  the  man  of  business  cropped  out  in 
the  concluding  sentence. 

"  Make  a  proposition,"  Hamilton  directed,  curtly. 

"  Well,"  Morton  replied,  speaking  with  thought- 
ful deliberation,  "  we  might  take  over  a  controlling 
interest  in  your  factory  for,  say,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand." 

"  Such  an  offer  as  that  is  merely  a  joke,"  was 
Hamilton's  contemptuous  retort. 

"  What  do  you  think  it's  worth?  " 

"  Conservatively,  a  million." 

"  Oh,  absurd !  "  Morton  exclaimed,  reprovingly ; 
but  his  voice  retained  its  pleasant  quality.  "  Dear 
me !  Youth  is  so  hasty !  Now,  my  boy,  the  truth  is 
that  you  know  your  factory  isn't  worth  anything  like 
that  sum." 

"  I  suspect  that  you  have  forgotten  five  fat  years 
of  prospective  profits."  There  came  a  groan  from 
Carrington  at  this  reference,  and  Morton's  face  lost 

279 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

for  a  moment  its  wheedling  amiability.  But  the  lat- 
ter's  discomfiture  was  of  the  briefest,  if  one  might 
judge  by  appearance. 

"  Is  a  million  your  lowest  figure  ?  "  he  demanded. 
Then,  as  a  nod  of  assent  from  the  owner  answered 
his  question,  he  added :  "  And  a  sixty-days'  option 
goes  with  your  offer  ?  " 

Hamilton,  however,  had  other  conditions  to  im- 
pose. 

"  If  you  take  over  the  control,"  he  asked,  "  do  I 
stay  in  charge  as  president  and  manager?  I  must 
stipulate  for  that." 

"  Oh,  well,"  Morton  agreed  graciously,  "  the  brain 
that  could  pull  off  this  deal  ought  to  be  of  some  use 
to  us.  .  .  .  All  right,  my  boy." 

At  this  final  statement  from  the  magnate,  Cicily 
could  not  forbear  a  subdued  ripple  of  laughter. 
"  The  brain  that  could  pull  off  this  deal  " —  oh,  splen- 
did! Who  now  would  dare  deny  that  she  was 
a  partner  in  very  truth,  a  partner  worth  while !  .  .  . 
Then,  her  inspiration  again  urged  her  on.  She  was 
beset  with  feverish  impatience,  as  the  four  men  dal- 
lied tediously  over  their  adieux.  When,  at  last,  the 
visitors  were  safely  out  of  the  house,  the  young  wife 

280 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

bore  down  like  a  whirlwind  on  Delancy.  She  could 
not  waste  even  a  word  on  Hamilton  yet. 

"  Quick !  Quick !  "  she  commanded.  The  red  in 
her  cheeks  was  deeper  than  it  had  been  for  weary 
weeks;  her  eyes  shot  fires  of  eagerness;  her  delicate 
fingers  clutched  the  old  gentleman's  arm  in  a  grasp 
so  earnest  that  he  winced  from  the  pain  of  it. 

"  Eh,  what  ?  "  he  demanded,  confused  by  the  vio- 
lence of  her  onslaught. 

"  Oh,  do  hurry,  Uncle  Jim !  "  Cicily  cried.  "  The 
telephone  —  Johnson !  " 

"  Good  heavens,  yes !  "  Delancy  exclaimed,  instantly 
aroused  to  the  exigencies  of  the  situation,  while  Ham- 
ilton stared  blankly  at  the  two  conspirators.  "  I 
should  say  so !  I've  got  to  get  hold  of  Johnson." 

"  He's  on  the  wire  by  this  time,  I'm  sure,"  Cicily 
announced.  "  While  you  were  getting  rid  of  those 
men,  I  sent  Watson  to  call  him  up." 

"  Bully,  Cicily ! "  Hamilton  shouted,  in  irrepressi- 
ble enthusiasm.  For  the  first  time,  he  had  spoken 
honest  praise  of  his  wife's  business  ability,  and  the 
soul  of  the  woman  was  filled  with  a  glorious  triumph. 

Delancy  was  already  on  his  way  toward  the  tele- 
phone in  the  hall.  But  he  turned  to  speak  his  mind: 

281 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Why  on  earth  don't  your  Aunt  Emma  have  ideas 
like  that,"  he  questioned,  resentfully;  "practical 
ideas?  " 

"Perhaps  she  has,"  Cicily  replied,  accusingly. 
"  But  you  would  never  listen."  There  was  no  an- 
swer beyond  an  unintelligible  grunt  from  the  old  gen- 
tleman. 

"  Hurry !  Uncle  Jim ! "  Hamilton  urged,  in  his 
turn.  "  And  do  your  best.  If  Johnson's  with  us, 
the  deal  will  go  through.  He's  never  gone  back  on 
his  word,  and  he  controls  the  independents." 

"  Yes,  boy,"  Delancy  cried  over  his  shoulder,  as  he 
Tanished  through  the  doorway,  "  if  he's  with  us,  we 
—  your  wife  —  wins !  " 

"  Anyhow,"  Hamilton  soliloquized,  "  win  or  lose, 
it's  a  great  game ! " 

Then,  he  turned  to  regard  his  wife,  with  eyes  in 
which  amazement  vied  with  admiration. 


28* 


CHAPTER  XIX 

CICELY,  under  her  husband's  intent  gaze,  felt  a 
glow  of  embarrassment.  To  conceal  her  emotion, 
she  turned,  and  seated  herself  in  a  chair,  where  she 
relaxed  into  a  posture  as  listlessly  indifferent  as  she 
could  contrive  in  this  moment  of  pleasurable  tur- 
moil. 

Now,  indeed,  she  realized  that  the  moment  of  her 
vindication  in  this  man's  estimation  was  at  hand.  It 
was  her  brain  that  had  evolved  the  ruse  by  which 
his  enemies  would  be  worsted.  Delancy  and  Hamil- 
ton might  still  retain  doubts  as  to  the  issue  of  the 
affair,  but  she  had  none.  Her  instinct,  which  had 
so  ably  guided  her  to  this  point,  now  assured  her  that 
victory  was  assured.  It  must  be,  then,  that  the  hus- 
band who  had  treated  her  claims  and  pretensions  so 
fleeringly  would  henceforth  recognize  her  worth.  He 
had  been  helpless  in  the  grasp  of  circumstance,  and 
the  flood  of  disaster  had  threatened  to  overwhelm 
him.  She  had  plucked  him  forth  from  the  whirl- 

283 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

pool,  had  brought  him  safe  to  shore.  She  had  most 
nobly  justified  herself  in  the  role  of  Mrs.  Partner. 
.  .  .  This  was  her  hour  of  supreme  delight.  The 
lines  of  fatigue  had  vanished  from  the  lovely  face 
as  if  by  magic;  her  eyes  were  happy,  shining  in  a 
clear  contentment ;  her  scarlet  lips  were  molded  into 
a  smile  of  joy,  and  from  them  a  dimple  crept  to  make 
a  tiny  shadow  in  the  pale  oval  of  the  cheek. 

As  for  Hamilton,  that  young  business  man  found 
himself  in  a  maze  of  perplexity,  as  he  stood  for  a 
long  time  in  silence,  studying  the  fair  picture  of 
femininity  there  offered  to  his  gaze.  In  his  breast, 
various  emotions  warred  lustily.  He  was  a-thrill 
with  elation  over  the  possibility  of  outwitting  the 
foes  who  had  used  every  wile  and  subterfuge  of 
trickiness  to  ruin  him.  He  was  moved  to  a  pro- 
found admiration  for  the  intelligence  that  had  orig- 
inated and  carried  out  a  counter  plot  so  instantly 
effective  in  his  interests.  But  underlying  these  was 
a  grievous  hurt  to  his  egotism.  The  pride  of  the 
male  was  wounded  sore.  Where  he,  the  head  of  the 
house,  the  lord  of  the  home,  the  man  of  affairs,  had 
ignominiously  failed,  that  frail  creature,  his  wife, 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

whom  he  had  criticised  and  rebuked  time  and  again, 
had  snatched  victory  from  defeat  by  clever  and  un- 
scrupulous machinations  worthy  of  a  master  of  high 
finance.  This  feat  was  something  incredible,  yet  it 
was  true  that  it  had  been  achieved.  It  was  some- 
thing absolutely  contrary  to  all  the  conventions  in 
which  he  had  been  reared.  It  was  directly  opposed 
to  his  personal  beliefs,  as  he  had  expressed  them  times 
without  number,  to  all  and  sundry  —  notably  to  his 
wife.  Here  was  the  sting  to  his  vanity.  He  had 
been  wrong.  Of  that,  there  could  be  no  doubt.  In 
other  cases,  in  all  probability,  his  contentions  would 
have  been  justified;  but  there  was  small  consolation 
in  this  fact,  since  in  his  own  vital  concerns  he  had 
been  proven  wrong.  He  winced  as  he  reflected  on 
the  humility  that  would  be  becoming  on  his  part. 
.  .  .  Then,  he  was  moved  to  a  sudden  rapture, 
and  forgot  his  hurt  pride,  as  he  realized  again  the 
exceeding  worth  of  the  woman  whom  he  loved.  Under 
the  urge  of  this  feeling,  he  exclaimed  with  candid 
vehemence  of  admiration: 

"  You  darling  little  liar !  "     The  fondness  in  his 
voice  made  the  epithet  a  word  of  sweetest  praise. 

285 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

Cicily  stirred  animatedly,  casting  off  her  assumed 
listlessness,  in  the  bliss  of  this  honest  tribute  from 
him  who  had  so  sternly  flouted  her  aforetime.  Her 
eyes  of  gold  lighted  radiantly  as  they  were  lifted  to 
his. 

"  Oh,  no  —  a  big  liar,  I'm  very  much  afraid." 
She  leaned  forward,  and  her  voice  was  gloating  as 
she  continued:  "  Oh,  Charles,  isn't  it  just  splendid! 
And  it  was  all  so  gloriously  simple!  Why,  it  isn't 
on  my  conscience  one  tiny  little  bit.  You  see,  they 
lied,  and  so,  of  course,  I  was  justified  in  lying.  It  was 
to  save  you,  and  to  help  our  workers  down  there. 
So,  I  lied,  and  I'm  glad  of  it."  She  gurgled  un- 
restrainedly for  a  moment.  "  Do  you  know,  Charles, 
dear,  a  woman  can  beat  a  man  lying,  any  time! 
...  Oh,  it's  great !  " 

But  Hamilton,  not  being  under  the  thrall  of  in- 
tuitions, was  not  yet  ready  to  rejoice  over  a  victory 
that  remained  to  be  won. 

"  Wait,"  he  admonished.  "  You  know,  we  haven't 
heard  from  Johnson  yet.  We  don't  know  what  he'll 
do." 

"  Pooh !  "  Cicily  retorted  confidently,  for  in  her 
wisdom  she  accepted  the  dictum  of  her  instinct  with- 

286 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

out  reserve.  "  If  it  should  be  necessary,  why,  I'll 
convince  him,  too." 

His  curiosity  prompted  Hamilton  to  ask  a  leading 
question. 

"  How  did  you  come  to  think  of  it?  "  he  inquired 
eagerly. 

"  Oh,  I  just  thought  of  it  because  —  because — * 
Cicily  halted,  completely  at  a  loss.  She  knew  very 
well  how  she  had  come  to  think  of  it.  The  idea  had 
been  the  kindly  gift  of  intuition  —  that  was  all  there 
was  to  it.  But  the  explanation  of  the  fact  to  a  mere 
man,  with  his  finical  dependence  on  logic  and  all 
manner  of  foolishness  in  the  way  of  reasoning,  of- 
fered considerable  difficulty.  So,  she  rested  silent, 
puzzling  over  a  means  for  making  the  truth  lucid 
to  a  member  of  the  non-intuitional  sex. 

"Well,  because  what?"  Hamilton  repeated,  sug- 
gestively. 

"  Why,  just  because — '  Unable  to  find  adequate 
words  for  interpreting  the  cause,  Cicily  attempted 
a  diversion.  "  And,  anyhow,  I'm  so  glad !  Now, 
you  do  see  that  I  can  help  you,  that  I  can  do  some- 
thing for  you  that  counts."  For  the  life  of  her, 
the  young  wife  could  not  resist  a  temptation  to 

287 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

boast  a  little  over  her  accomplishment  in  the  world 
of  business.  She  even  ventured  to  hint  as  to  the 
"  because  "  which  she  had  left  unexplained.  "  Surely, 
Charles,  now  you  must  see  how  it's  possible  for  us 
women  to  help  our  husbands  outside  the  home  —  once 
in  a  while,  at  least.  Really,  there  is  some  room  in 
business  on  occasion  for  intuition,  just  as  there  is 
in  other  things.  But  the  few  men  who  possess  the 
gift  don't  call  it  by  its  right  name  —  not  they !  I 
imagine  they're  too  busy  and  prosperous  to  call  it 
anything." 

"  You  mustn't  think  I'm  not  grateful,  Cicily," 
Hamilton  answered,  with  surprising  meekness.  "  I 
know  how  much  I  shall  owe  you,  if  this  deal  goes 
through."  He  went  to  the  chair  where  his  wife  was 
sitting,  and  kissed  her  tenderly.  "  Yes,  you'll  find 
me  grateful  enough,"  he  repeated  earnestly,  as  he 
straightened  again,  and  stood  regarding  her  with 
lover-like  intentness. 

Cicily,  however,  was  not  wholly  content  with  the 
expression  of  feeling  on  her  husband's  part.  Her 
ambition  toward  really  sharing  his  whole  life  was 
not  to  be  thwarted  by  accepting  a  single  success,  and 

288 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

the  resultant  gratitude  on  the  part  of  the  one  served, 
as  a  sufficient  achievement. 

"  It's  not  gratitude  that  I  want,  Charles,"  she  de- 
clared, resolutely ;  "  that  is,  not  gratitude  alone.  I 
want  recognition." 

"  But  I  do  recognize  everything,  Cicily,"  Hamil- 
ton urged,  manifestly  at  a  loss  to  understand  his 

wife's  precise  meaning.     Then,  of  a  sudden,  his  vi- 

i 

sion  cleared,  and  he  spoke  with  a  new  gentleness,  yet 
with  something  of  the  old  authority.  "  I  recognize 
most  clearly  that  here  and  now  is  the  real  turning 
point  of  our  lives.  We  have  both  made  mistakes  — " 

"  Oh,  both  ?  "  Cicily  questioned,  rebelliously.  Her 
serene  confidence  in  herself  did  not  relish  the  open 
confession  of  error. 

"Yes,"  Hamilton  maintained,  judicially;  "we've 
both  made  mistakes.  I've  cared  too  much  for  busi- 
ness. I  admit  that  fully  and  freely.  I  let  it  intrude 
on  my  home  life;  I  let  it  hamper  the  expression  of 
my  love  for  you.  As  for  you,  you  adorable  crea- 
ture, you've  been  headstrong  beyond  belief.  You've 
been  impulsive  to  the  limit  of  that  very  impulsive 
temperament  of  yours.  You've  been  unreasonable 

289 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

to  the  verge  of  distraction.  But,  thank  heaven ! 
you've  been  —  as  you'd  call  it  —  intuitional,  too. 
That  redeems  you  from  criticism  —  as  it  may  re- 
deem me  from  ruin  in  my  business.  So,  darling,  isn't 
it  fair,  when  I  say  that  I'm  going  to  change,  to  say 
that  I  want  you  to  change,  too  ?  To  sum  it  up,  dear 
heart,  we  must  begin  all  over  again." 

Nevertheless,  Cicily,  although  she  was  a-quiver 
with  delight  over  the  open  revelation  of  her  husband's 
changed  feeling  toward  her  and  toward  himself,  did 
not  hesitate  to  combat  his  determination.  She  shook 
her  head  slowly  in  negation  of  his  proposal,  and 
spoke  with  the  energy  of  profound  conviction: 
"  It's  too  late,  Charles.  We  can't  go  back." 
"  But,  Cicily,"  Hamilton  remonstrated,  greatly 
hurt  by  her  resistance  to  his  humble  resolve,  "  you 
don't  understand!  I  admit  that  I  was  wrong  — 
more  than  partly  to  blame,  perhaps."  That  was  as 
far  as  he  could  go.  The  wife  who  loved  him  smiled  se- 
cretly at  the  obvious  effort  with  which  he  acknowledged 
so  much.  It  was  enough  to  satisfy  her  in  that  direc- 
tion —  more  than  enough !  But  there  remained  still 
the  fact  that  she  was  totally  out  of  harmony  with 

290 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

his  scheme  of  turning  backward  to  begin  their  life 
together  afresh,  after  a  finer  plan  of  conduct. 

"  There's  no  such  thing  as  going  backward  in  life, 
Charles,"  she  declared,  intently.  "  We  must  go  for- 
ward —  only  forward !  " 

"  No,"  Hamilton  answered,  gravely.  "  That 
would  never  do.  The  old  struggle  would  come  up 
again.  You  were  right  in  your  argument,  Cicily, 
and  I  see  it  now.  I  recognize  the  existence  of  that 
modern  triangle,  as  you  described  it.  One  must 
choose,  inevitably.  It's  either  you  or  business.  I 
chose  once,  and  I  went  wrong.  Now,  let  me  choose 
again,  dear.  Oh,  you  must  believe  me,  sweetheart. 
You  are  the  dearer  —  infinitely  the  dearer  to  me ! 
It  is  you  I  love  —  only  you !  "  There  was  genuine 
passion  in  the  man's  voice.  It  rang  heavenly  har- 
monies in  the  soul  of  the  wife.  For  the  moment, 
she  was  half-inclined  to  throw  away  the  troubles  be- 
gotten of  ambition,  the  strivings  engendered  by 
ideals,  to  rest  content  with  the  happiness  of  love's 
transports.  She  fought  the  temptation  stoutly,  but 
it  was  almost  beyond  her  woman's  strength  to  resist. 
She  feinted  for  time  by  haphazard  questioning,  voiced 

291 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

in  broken,  uncertain  tones  while  she  strove  to  main- 
tain her  purpose: 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do,  Charles  ?  How  will 
you  prove  that  I  am  dearer  to  you,  after  all,  than  is 
this  hateful  business  ?  " 

"  How  am  I  going  to  prove  it?  "  Hamilton  re- 
peated, with  immense  self-satisfaction.  "  Why,  I'm 
going  to  sell  out  to  Morton,  to-morrow." 

At  this  explicit  statement  of  his  purpose,  Cicily 
was  swiftly  recalled  from  her  temporary  mood  of 
yielding. 

"You're  going  to  quit?"  she  demanded,  sharply. 
"Is  that  what  you  mean,  Charles?" 

"  Yes,"  came  the  complacent  answer,  firm  in  the 
intensity  of  sudden  resolve.  "  I  have  it  all  planned 
out,  already.  We'll  take  a  steamer  the  last  of  the 
week  for  another  —  a  better,  wiser  —  honeymoon. 
We'll  go  to  the  Italian  lakes,  to  Switzerland.  Then, 
afterward,  we'll  drop  down  to  that  little  village  in 
the  south  of  France.  You  remember  the  place,  don't 
you,  dearest?  " 

"  Yes,"  Cicily  answered,  very  softly.  Her  cheeks 
were  flushed  with  tender  memories  of  that  embowered 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

nook  which  had  given  lotos-eating  pause  to  their 
wedding- journey.  Her  eyes  were  dreamy  with  fond 
reminiscence,  as  she  imagined  again  the  quaint  beau- 
ties of  that  lover's  paradise.  But,  by  a  fierce  effort 
of  will,  she  threw  off  the  spell  that  threatened  to 
defeat  her  most  cherished  ambition;  and  she  spoke 
with  an  accent  of  supreme  determination,  in  a  voice 
become  suddenly  vibrant  with  new  energy.  "  But  I 
won't  go !  "  Her  face,  too,  had  lost  the  delicate, 
yielding  lines  of  the  woman  wooed  and  won,  rejoic- 
ing in  submission ;  it  was  again  alert,  set  to  fixed- 
ness of  plan  that  would  brook  no  denial.  At  sight 
of  the  change  in  her,  Hamilton  stared  in  dismay. 
He  could  not  understand  this  development  in  her. 
He  had  humiliated  himself  in  vain.  He  had  offered 
the  abandonment  of  all  that  could  offend  her,  yet  she 
remained  obdurate,  discontented,  defiant  of  his  every 
desire.  He  almost  groaned,  as  he  cast  himself  dis- 
consolately into  a  chair,  and  buried  his  head  in  his 
hands,  despairing  of  any  understanding  as  to  the 
whims  of  a  woman. 

"  Don't   you   see,   Sear,"   Cicily   went  on,   gently 
persuasive,    "  that    we    can't  —  we    just    can't !  — 

293 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

quit  ?  Why,  Charles,  being  a  quitter  is  the  one  thing 
that  you've  most  hated  all  your  life.  And  I,  too, 
have  hated  it.  No,  you  can't  quit,  because  you're 
held  here  by  duty  —  by  duty  to  yourself,  by  duty 
to  those  men  and  women,  our  little  brothers  and  sis- 
ters, who  depend  on  you  for  their  livelihood." 

"  The  trust  will  take  care  of  them,"  Hamilton 
declared  mechanically,  without  lifting  his  face  from 
his  hands. 

"  You  know  how  the  trust  will  take  care  of  them," 
Cicily  retorted,  with  a  touch  of  bitterness.  "  It  will 
pay  them  a  starvation  wage  —  no  more !  " 

"But  you're  jealous  of  business!"  Hamilton  ob- 
jected, raising  his  head  to  gaze  curiously  at  this 'most 
paradoxical  person.  "  And,  now,  you  are  urging 
me  to  keep  at  it.  I  don't  understand." 

Cicily  laughed  aloud,  in  genuine  enjoyment.  Her 
eyes  were  alight  with  the  fires  of  victory. 

"I  used  to  be  jealous  of  it,"  she  admitted,  joy- 
ously. "  I'm  not  any  longer  —  because  I've  beaten 
it.  Your  offer  just  now  proves  that,  doesn't  it?  .  .  . 
But,  now  that  I  have  won  a  triumph  over  my  old  rival, 
why,  we've  got  to  go  forward." 

294s 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"  Together?  "  There  was  a  tender,  half -fearful 
doubt  in  the  husband's  voice  as  he  asked  the  question 
that  meant  so  much  to  him?  for  he  loved  this  variable 
wife  of  his  in  this  moment  more  than  he  had  ever 
dreamed  that  he  could  love  a  woman. 

The  wife's  head  drooped  shyly,  and  her  face 
flamed.  Her  word  came  very  softly  spoken,  but  it 
rang  a  peal  of  happiness  in  the  heart  of  her  hus- 
band. 

"  Yes." 

The  man  rose  from  his  chair,  and  went  to  his  wife's 
side,  where  he  stooped,  and  took  her  face  in  his  hands, 
and  raised  it  until  he  could  look  deep  into  the  eyes  of 
gold. 

"  You  will  care  again,  as  you  used  to  care  ?  " 

And  she  answered  bravely,  although  a  gentle  con- 
fusion held  her  all  a-tremble: 

"  I  will  care  because  —  because  I've  never  stopped 
caring !  " 

"  Thank  God ! "  Hamilton  said  reverently,  and 
gathered  her  into  his  arms. 

Afterward,  the  twain  lovers  talked  of  many  things, 
295 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

as  lovers  will,  of  things  grave  and  gay,  of  things 
silly  and  profound.  They  talked  of  business  affairs, 
into  which  Cicily  might  on  occasion  flash  the  light 
of  intuition  to  clear  the  way  for  grosser  reason.  They 
discussed  the  mutuality  of  interests  that  would  be 
theirs,  a  lesson  of  supreme  worth  to  a  conventional 
world.  They  arranged  philanthropic  schemes  for  the 
betterment  of  conditions  for  the  little  brothers  and 
sisters  who  gained  a  sustenance  by  toil  at  their  be- 
hest. But,  most  of  all,  they  talked  those  divine  ab- 
surdities that  are  the  privilege  of  all  true  lovers. 
The  husband  bewailed  the  incredible  stupidity  that 
had  led  him  into  neglect  of  the  most  adorable  being 
in  the  universe;  the  wife  mourned  over  the  stern 
necessity  that  had  driven  her  to  sacrifice  ineffable 
happiness  on  the  altar  of  conscience. 

They  drew  apart  a  little,  when  Delancy  came  bus- 
tling in  from  his  conversation  over  the  telephone; 
but  they  scarcely  had  ears  for  his  jubilant  announce- 
ment of  victory. 

"  Johnson  thinks  it's  great ! "  the  old  gentleman 
cried,  triumphantly.  "  He's  coming  right  up  here 
in  his  machine,  with  a  lawyer,  to  draw  the  papers. 
.  .  .  And  I've  'phoned  for  our  attorney  to  get 

296 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

here  as  fast  as  he  can.  My  boy,  we've  got  'em! 
Hooray ! " 

Hamilton  responded  with  a  perfunctory  enthusi- 
asm, but  his  eyes  never  left  his  wife's  face. 

As  for  Cicily,  she  sat  silent,  her  eyes  veiled,  revel- 
ing in  the  glad  riot  of  her  thoughts.  Through  her 
brain  went  echoing  the  words  spoken  by  her  Aunt 
Emma,  which  had  served  in  a  measure  to  guide  her 
course  of  action,  and  she  smiled  in  perfect  content 
as  she  mused  on  their  meaning  in  her  life.  She  had 
sought  "  to  make  other  people  happy."  She  had 
striven  valiantly  in  behalf  of  the  workers  in  the  fac- 
tory ;  she  had  struggled  for  her  husband.  Well,  she 
had  succeeded  for  them  —  surely,  she  had  made 
other  people  happy;  and  out  of  her  labors  for 
those  others  she  had  won  the  supreme  happiness 
for  herself. 

But  it  was  after  Delancy  had  left  them  that  Ham- 
ilton reached  into  the  inner  pocket  of  his  waistcoat, 
and  plucked  forth  a  little  packet  of  tissue  paper, 
which  he  unrolled  with  a  touch  that  was  half-caress- 
ing. Of  a  sudden,  Cicily,  watching,  uttered  a  cry  of 
delight. 

297 


MAKING  PEOPLE  HAPPY 

"You  cared  —  so  much?"  she  questioned,  with 
shy  eagerness,  as  she  put  out  her  left  hand. 

The  husband  slipped  the  wedding-ring  to  its 
place. 

"  I  cared  so  much,"  he  said  softly ;  "  and  infinitely 
more!" 

The  amber  eyes  of  the  wife  were  veiled  with  tears, 
as  she  lifted  them  to  his. 

"  Oh,  thank  God,  it  is  back  again ! "  she  whis- 
pered. 


THE    END 


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White. 
Frontispiece  and  wrapper  in  colors  by  Penrhyn  Stanlaws. 

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dren are  kidnapped  from  a  wealthy  home  and  appear  many  years 

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The  Master's  Violin 


By  MYRTLE  REED 


A  Love  Story"  with  a  musical  at- 
mosphere. A  picturesque,  old 
German  virtuoso  is  the  rever- 
ent possessor  of  a  genuine  Cre- 
mona. He  consents  to  take  as 
his  pupil  a  handsome  youth  who 
proves  to  have  an  aptitude  for 
technique,  but  not  the  soul  of 
the  artist.  The  youth  has  led  the 
happy,  careless  life  of  a  modern, 
well-to-do  young  American,  and 
he  cannot,  with  his  meagre  past, 
express  the  love,  the  longing,  the  passion  and  the  trage- 
dies of  life  and  its  happy  phases  as  can  the  master  who 
has  lived  life  in  all  its  fulness.  But  a  girl  comes  into 
his  existence,  a  beautiful  bit  of  human  driftwood  that 
his  aunt  had  taken  into  her  heart  and  home ;  and  through 
his  passionate  love  for  her,  he  learns  the  lessons  that  life 
has  to  give — and  his  soul  awakens. 

Founded  on  a  fact  well  known  among  artists,  but  not 
often  recognized  or  discussed.] 


If  you  have  not  read  "LAVENDER  AND  OLD  LACE"  by  the 
same  author,  you  have  a  double  pleasure  in  store — for 
these  two  books  show  Myrtle  Reed  in  her  most  delightful, 
fascinating  vein — indeed  they  may  be  considered  as  mas- 
terpieces of  compelling  interest. 

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